A Warrior's Pain III: Losing Grip
by BubblyShell22
Summary: Leo is recovering after being captured by the Foot,but Karai still wants revenge. Can the Turtles stop her or will her plan succeed? Third in the AWP saga.
1. Chapter 1

Losing Grip

Chapter 1: Safe Haven

A/N: Well, I'm back with yet another story. I had this plot bunny forming and decided to go with it. I also want to announce that I have finally seen some of the Lost Season of TMNT on YouTube, and it rocks. I think it's a mistake that they put Fast Forward in place of it because Season 5 is awesome. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this story. Please read and review and no flames or they will be cut up by Leo famous swords.

Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT. If I did, the Lost Season would be on DVD right now. Ninja Turtles are owned by Eastman and Laird.

Leonardo could hear voices talking. What was going on? They were probably gloating at his predicament. If only he could get up! He would beat the living hell out of them! Yeah, right, he thought. He was too weak to even try to fight. What was the point anyway? His brothers and sensei were dead. He had no one left to care for. There was no one else who wanted him around.

He thought back to the fateful day when he was separated from his brothers. It had happened when they were patrolling the city. Things had seemed quiet until the Turtles became surrounded by Foot Ninjas. It was almost like the day when the Foot had ambushed Leonardo when he was out on his training run. But Leo had been alone then. This time he had his brothers with him, and he knew they would win against the Foot.

It almost looked like the Turtles would triumph as they had many times before, but then the tides turned. More kept coming at them. The Turtles wouldn't give but fought with fierce determination. Then it happened so fast, none of them saw it coming. Leo felt something prick his neck. It felt like the poison dart the Ultimate Ninja had used at the Battle Nexus Tournament. The blue-clad Turtle tried to fight if off, but with no success. The last thing he remembered was seeing his brothers' shocked faces and hearing them shout his name.

When he woke up, he found himself tied down. Foot Ninjas gazed at him. Then he locked gazes with Karai. The woman glared at him hatefully, her green eyes flashing with pure anger.

Leo returned the glare. "Karai!" he hissed. "I had a hunch you would do this. Where are my brothers? What have you done with them?"

"Your brothers are dead," Karai replied. "My Foot Ninjas killed them in battle. We also killed your rat master as he was looking for his precious sons."

No! It couldn't be true! How could she be so calm about it? It he could've gotten up, he would've beaten the crap out of her. "Why didn't you kill me, too?" he asked her.

"Because that would be too easy," she answered. "I want you to suffer a slow, painful death. I want to torture you for what you did to my father." And with that, she cut him on the lower plastron with the gauntlet her father used to wear.

Leo bit back a cry of pain. There was no way he was going to show any weakness in front of Karai. He would be strong and fight back. He would avenge his brothers and sensei.

Leo's thoughts snapped back to the present. He hadn't avenged his brothers and sensei at all. The Foot had been able to tear him down. He had nothing left. He really didn't want to know what the Foot Ninjas were saying about him, but he couldn't help overhearing. It wasn't like they hadn't taunted him before. That was all they had done since he came here.

"Is he awake yet?" a voice asked.

"Not yet," another voice answered.

"Well, he'd better wake up soon!" a third voice growled.

Wait a minute! Leo knew those voices. They weren't Foot Ninjas at all! Those were his brothers! Was he dead? He had to be if his brothers were talking to him. He opened his eyes to see what the afterlife looked like.

After his eyes adjusted to the light, Leonardo saw his three brothers gazing at him. Then he saw that he was in the infirmary. This couldn't be real. He had to be dreaming.

"Leo, you're awake!" Michelangelo cried. He wanted to hug his brother, but Donatello held him back.

"Not so fast, Mikey," the purple-clad Turtle cautioned. "Leo's gonna be in a lot of pain right now."

"Well, Karai should be the one in pain," Raphael snarled. "No one messes with our brother and gets away with it."

Leo didn't want to intrude on Raph's anger, but he was a little confused. "Guys, am I dead?" he asked them.

Raph put a hand on Leo's shoulder. "No, you're alive, bro," he said.

"I can't be!" Leo protested. "Karai told me you were dead!"

"She lied, Leonardo," a voice said. Leo turned to see Splinter in the doorway. He looked older than the last time Leo had seen him. It made his heart ache to see that his father had gotten this way while worrying over him.

"How do you feel, my son?" the rat asked him.

"I feel like I'm dreaming," Leo replied. "I can't help but think that this is all a trick put on by Karai."

"It's no trick, bro," Michelangelo said cheerfully. "You're definitely home."

"How did you get me out?" Leo asked them.

"We stormed the place, kicked butt, and got you out of there," Raph said. "It wasn't easy, but we did it. Too bad Karai got away, though. I wanted to kill her myself."

Leonardo detected the anger in his brother's voice and gave him a sympathetic smile. His brothers had probably gone through hell trying to find him. It made him feel guilty to think about that. What if he had tried to get away? Maybe his brothers wouldn't have worried so much.

"I'm gonna change your bandages now, Leo," Don told him. As he pried off the bandages, he couldn't help but cringe at the wounds on his brother's plastron. There were numerous cuts and bruises that had been inflicted by the Foot. Donnie put disinfectant on the wounds and fresh bandages.

Leo watched as his brainy brother tended to his wounds. He was also shocked at the amount of wounds covering him. Some of them he remembered while others were a mystery to him. He could see that Mikey and Splinter were shocked too, while Raph just clenched his fists in anger.

"Now I'm going to give you something for the pain," Don said. He went to a cabinet and pulled out a syringe.

As Don approached him, Leo's eyes widened in fear. It was going to happen again! The Foot were going to sedate him and subject him to more torture. No! It wasn't going to happen! He wouldn't let it happen!

Don noticed the fear in Leo's eyes. "Leo, calm down," he soothed. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just gonna ease your pain."

In response, Leo slapped at Don's hand, knocking the syringe to the floor. "No!" he cried. "You're not going to torture me anymore! You have no honor! Where are my brothers? I know they're not dead!"

"Leo, chill out!" Raph said. "We're right here!"

But Leo didn't hear him. He wasn't even seeing his brothers. All he saw were a group of Foot Ninjas.

"Master Splinter, what's wrong with him?" Mikey asked.

"He is reliving a painful memory," Splinter replied. "I am going to try to help him out of it." He then closed his eyes and focused on Leo's mind.

As Leo stared at the Foot Ninjas, he suddenly heard his sensei's voice. The voice urged him to calm down and focus. Leo did as he as told and began to calm down. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths. When he opened them, he saw his brothers looking at him with concern.

"What happened?" he asked them. "There were Foot Ninjas standing here. I saw them."

"You were reliving a painful memory," Splinter told him. "Are you alright?"

"I think so," Leo replied.

"Leo, I'm so sorry," Don said guiltily. "I shouldn't have brought out the syringe. I'm such an idiot."

"It's okay, Donnie," Leo reassured him. "You didn't know. You were just doing what you thought was best."

Don felt a little better but not much. He picked up the fallen syringe and disposed of it properly.

"Well, I'm gonna go and work on April's computer," he said. "I'll have my Shell Cell on in case anything happens."

"Do not worry, my son," Splinter reassured him. "I will let you know if there is an emergency."

Just then, Raphael's Shell Cell began ringing. "That's gotta be Casey," he said as he took the phone off of his belt. He opened the phone and said, "Yo, what's up, Case?"

"Just wanted to see how things were," Casey replied. "Is Leo okay?"

"Well, he's awake, but he's not in the best shape right now," Raph said.

"Do you want to hang out?" Casey asked him. 'Maybe we can find some punks and teach them a lesson."

Raph thought it was a good idea. He hadn't been out since they'd brought Leo home. It would be good to get some fresh air, he thought. But at the same time, Raph didn't want to leave his brother after what he'd just gone through.

It was Leo who made the decision. "Go on, Raph," he said. "You deserve some time off."

"Are you sure?" Raph asked him.

'Yeah, I'm sure," Leo answered. "Sensei and Mikey will take care of me."

"Do you think it's wise to let Mikey be in charge?" asked Don skeptically.

"I will keep an eye on him," reassured Splinter. "Now, go on."

After Don retrieved some things from his lab, the two Turtles left. Leo watched them go and was glad that at least two of his brothers were going out for some fresh air.

"Hey, Leo, someone wants to visit you," said Mikey cheerfully as he brought in Klunk. The orange and white tabby cat leapt out of Mikey's arms and onto Leo's bed rubbing against Leo's hand. The Turtle in blue stroked the cat, feeling happier than ever. It was the first time he felt truly happy in a long time.

As Mikey described the video game he had beaten, Leo listened with a smile. Normally, he would pretend he was interested, but this time he didn't mind his younger brother's chatter. That, combined with Klunk's purrs, made Leo feel relaxed.

Mikey noticed the look on his brother's face. "Am I boring you, Leo?" he asked. "If I am, I'll just stop."

Leo smiled. "You aren't boring me, Mikey," he said. "I've missed hearing your voice."

Splinter had gone to make Leo some of his special tea. He carried it in and set it down in front of his son. "Here you are, Leonardo," he said. "This will help to relive your pain."

Leo thanked his sensei and sipped the tea. As he drank it, he felt much better. The pain wasn't gone yet, but Leo knew that it would ease soon. But he also knew that while the physical pain would leave him, the mental pain would still be there. He also knew that he'd have to tell his brothers and sensei about what transpired while he was gone. He didn't want to relive what had gone on, but he couldn't keep it locked up. For now though, he was just happy being home with his family. At least with them he could feel truly safe. But what Leonardo didn't know was that his worries about the Foot were going to come true. He hadn't escaped them yet.

A/N: Well, that's it for this chapter. I hope you guys liked it. Now, you know the drill. Read and please leave a review. I really enjoy feedback. I don't know when the next chapter will be up, but it might be next week. See ya!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Karai's Plan

A/N: Well, I'm back with my second chapter. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed this story so far. It really means a lot to me. Thanks to: **Lady Katana 4544, paulafromtwoson, Mac, Spaztastic Reader, Mikey's Kunoichi, Dark Raven18, and Wild Dog-untamed canine. **It's because of you guys that I've decided to continue this story. Thanks a million! Enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: If I owned TMNT, I wouldn't be in Indiana going to college. Instead, I'd be in New York planning out the next episode. TMNT are owned by Eastman and Laird.

Oroku Karai sat at what had been her father's desk and looked at some files. It amazed her how much her father had had to do. She always thought he'd had help in these matters, but he had done it all himself. Well, she wouldn't. She was going to hire somebody to take care of the tedious paperwork so that she could concentrate on running the Foot Clan properly.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Karai told whoever it was to enter and was surprised to see Hun enter the room. He was dressed in business attire, making him look different and actually more respectable.

Karai didn't like Hun very much, but she knew she had to be polite. "It has been a long time since I saw you, Hun," she said. "What brings you here?"

"I just came to see how the Foot Clan has been faring," Hun replied.

"We have been doing very well," Karai told him. "The Foot is as strong as it was under my father's rule."

Hun chuckled. "That's not what I've heard," he said. "From what people have told me, the Foot Clan has shifted from a clan of power and has become pathetic. It isn't nearly as powerful as when the Shredder was around."

Karai bristled. "And what is it that these people are telling you?" she demanded.

"They told me that you are pathetic," Hun answered. "You couldn't even stop the Turtles from stealing The Heart of Tengu. What's wrong with you, Karai? Are you secretly working for the Turtles?"

"How dare you?" Karai hissed. "I wouldn't even dream of siding with them. And these people have not been listening or they would've known that I was able to capture Leonardo and subject him to torture."

Hun grinned at her. "Oh, they told me about that," he said. "You still failed to finish him off which tells me you're too soft. You let his brothers come in and escape with him. If it had been me, I would've finished them off in a second."

"That was not my fault," Karai retorted. "I did all I could to make sure those wretched Turtles were destroyed. They are to blame!"

Hun rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say," he said. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"I have a plan that will enable me to destroy the Turtles once and for all," Karai replied.

Hun burst out laughing. "Karai, you're dumber than I thought," he laughed. "What makes you think that this plan of yours will work when none of your other plans have?"

"I have thought this one through more carefully," said Karai. "It will not fail."

"Well, maybe you could use some back up in case it does fail," suggested Hun. "I've been wanting to annihilate those freaks for some time now."

"Actually, you could be of some use to me," mused Karai. "I am sick of doing all this paperwork, and since you have a knack for doing business, you can help me with it."

"You want me to sit at a desk and do paperwork?" sneered Hun. "Fat chance! I'm not your slave, Karai! Either let me handle the Turtles, or you're on your own."

"Let me make one thing perfectly clear," hissed Karai. "I will deal with the Turtles. The reason my plans never went well before is because I had to deal with business affairs. But with your help, my plan will succeed."

Hun thought about what Karai was saying. If she got rid of the Turtles, all his problems would be solved. He didn't want to do paperwork, but he knew it was the only way to make sure Karai's plan worked.

"You've got a deal," he told her. "But if your plan fails, I get to step in and deal with the Turtles myself."

"As you wish," said Karai. " You will start tomorrow. I expect you to do well and not to trick me. If I find out that you have sabotaged any of the documents, you will be severely punished. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," answered Hun. 'I'll see you tomorrow. Good day to you, Karai." He bowed to her and took his leave.

After he was gone, Karai left the office and went to the dojo where a group of Foot Ninjas were training. After watching them for a few minutes, she called them to a halt.

"Foot Ninjas, I have just been talking with Hun," she began. "He tells me that he has heard about what has been going on in the Foot Clan. Now, I can only assume that some of you are telling others about our plans and failings. I want it made clear that anyone who discusses information outside of Foot Headquarters will be killed on the spot. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Mistress Karai," replied the Foot Ninjas.

"Good," said Karai with satisfaction. "Continue your training. Foot Elite, I need to speak with you." She led them back into her office.

"Mistress Karai, I assure you that none of us have talked to Hun about what has gone on here," said the first Foot Elite.

"I know that," said Karai. "I wanted to speak with you about my latest plan to vanquish the Turtles. You will need to do something for me."

"And what would that be, Mistress?" the second Elite member asked.

"I want you to retrieve the Sword of Tengu," Karai told them.

"But, Mistress, the Sword of Tengu was destroyed," the third Elite Ninja protested.

"Yes, but it can be put back together," Karai explained. "This needs to be done before I can proceed to phase two of my plan."

"Will you tell us what that is?" the fourth Elite Ninja inquired.

"You will know once you complete the task," Karai told them. 'Now, go and retrieve the Sword. Do not come back until you have forged it."

"Yes, Mistress," the Elite Ninjas said. Then they disappeared in a puff of smoke.

After they were gone, Karai gazed at her father's statue. If all went well, the Turtles would be destroyed. This had been Karai's goal since her father had been exiled by the Utroms. She had been so angry at what had happened. If only Leonardo had just let her father go home, things would've been fine. But instead, he had allowed her father to be taken from her. Since then, Karai had worked endlessly to destroy her father's enemies and avenge the one who had taken her in. Once again, her plan had failed. But this time she would be sure to triumph, and once she did, she would leave New York and return to Japan. Then, she would start a new life where she'd be free of the Foot Clan and free of those wretched Turtles.

"It will not be long now," she said to herself. "I will make sure my plan works and that Leonardo and his family are destroyed once and for all."

A/N: Well, that's the end of this chapter. I hope you like it. Please read and review. I will try to post the next chapter next week, but it depends on if I get all my schoolwork done first. Have a shelltastic day!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Worries

A/N: Well, I'm finally back. I'm sorry it took me so long to write. I've just been busy with school stuff. I was forced to endure summer classes and had to take Statistics yet again because I have to pass it in order to graduate. However, I ended up failing it yet again. So, I'm gonna see if I can take another class to substitute for it. I sure hope so. Okay, enough of me rambling. I want to send two shout-outs to two anonymous reviewers. I know we're technically not allowed to do review responses, but I make an exception for the anonymous reviewers since I can't reply to their reviews. So, here goes:

**Mac: **Thanks for the review. Congrats on graduating high school! Do you plan to go to college? If so, where?

**Kathy: **Thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked it. Here's the update!

And now I'll thank the rest of you the old-fashioned way. Thanks to: **arianshifter, paulafromtwoson, aronoiiel, DarkRaven18, Leo's Baby80, Forever Clois, shellsboy24, Resevoir Warrior, and spaztastic reader. **It's because of you guys that I've continued with this story. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Turtles. I do own a T-shirt of them that I'm wearing right now. Pretty cool, huh? The Turtles are owned by Eastman and Laird.

April O'Neil sighed in relief after the last customer left the shop. It had been a very busy day for April as she waited on customers wanting to buy antiques. One woman in particular became very demanding when April informed her that he didn't have a certain item.

"It's days like these when I ask myself why I even decided to open this shop," April said to herself as she locked the shop doors. Then she ascended the stairs to her apartment, ready to eat some dinner and go to bed. But when she opened the door, she found herself staring at Donatello, who was sitting on her couch.

"Don, what are you doing here?" she asked him.

"I'm here to fix your computer," Don replied. "You said it was acting up."

"Yeah, I did," April remembered. She went over to the couch and sat down beside Don. "So, how's Leo?" she asked him.

Don sighed. "He's awake, but he's in a lot of pain," he said. "And I'm not just talking about physical pain either. His mental state is gonna be bad for awhile. He freaked out when I tried to give him a painkiller."

"Well, none of your brothers ever liked getting needles," remarked April.

"I know that, but Leo acted like he was scared," said Don. "I think the Foot kept using needles on him, and that's what triggered his reaction to me." Don's shoulders sagged. "I just feel so helpless, April. What can I do?"

"You can be there for him, Don," replied April. "All of you can support Leo and talk to him. With time, maybe he'll talk about what happened. Now, let's get off this couch and see what's wrong with my computer."

Donatello knew that April was right. They would just have to give Leo some time. He went over to April's computer and started looking at it all over. He concluded that it was just the program that was messed up and said that he could fix it tomorrow night when April got a new program for it. He knew she was too tired to do so tonight.

"Thanks, Don," said April gratefully. "I had a feeling that it was the program, but I wanted to be sure that I was right."

"Hey, it's the least I can do," said Don. He really felt that April was a kindred spirit because she understood him. Whenever he talked to his brothers about one of his inventions they simply pretended to understand what he was saying. But when he talked to April, she listened with true interest and even offered advice. At one time, Don even hoped that April would like him as more than just a friend, but he knew that would never be.

"Don, are you okay?" inquired April.

Don snapped out of his thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine," he responded, grateful that April couldn't tell what he was thinking. "I'd better head home. I want to make sure Leo's okay."

"I'm sure he's fine," reassured April. "If he wasn't, Splinter would have called you. Stay for dinner. I'll be happy to make you something."

"No, that's okay," protested Don. "I'll have a snack when I get home. Thanks anyway."

"You're welcome," April said warmly. "I'll be by tomorrow to visit Leo. After that, you and I can fix my computer."

"Sounds good to me," Don told her. "See you then."

April watched him go with a look of sympathy on her face. She knew that he was very concerned about Leo. April felt guilty that she hadn't been in New York when Leo got captured. She had been in New Jersey with her sister, Robyn, who had been in a car accident. After she got back and heard the news, she felt awful that she hadn't been to talk to her friends. Now, she vowed to make up for those two lost months.

**Rooftops of New York City **

Raphael leaped from rooftop to rooftop on his way to Casey's apartment. As he ran, he thought about everything that had happened since Leo's capture. The endless days of searching, the tense moments of worry, the heartache of seeing Leo in his injured state. Raph vowed that the Foot would pay for what they had done. With any luck, maybe he and Casey would encounter some Foot Ninjas that night. If so, Raph would make sure they wouldn't be able to get back to Foot Headquarters.

The night was clear with the stars sparkling in the sky. Down below, traffic rumbled along at its usual pace. Raphael noticed none of this as he made his way to Casey's apartment.

He reached the window and knocked on it. Casey opened it and let Raph in.

"It's about time!" he grumbled. "What took you so long?"

"Nothin'," Raph said. "I came the usual way."

"Whatever," Casey said with a shrug of his shoulders. "So, let's get to it."

"Just the words I wanted to hear," Raph replied. "Race ya!"

The two of them leapt from rooftop to rooftop trying to see who would win. First, Raph was in the lead, then Casey managed to pass him. Raph got mad and managed to flip over the vigilante and beat him. The race didn't last long, but it was fun.

"Man, Raph, you've gotten faster," Casey commented. "Have you been practicin'?"

"No, I haven't," said Raph. "How could I do that with Leo injured? I wasn't gonna abandon my brother."

"Hey, Raph, I'm sorry," said Casey. "I forgot about that. Has Leo said anythin'?"

"About what?" asked Raph.

"About what happened to him," answered Casey.

Raph sighed. "No, he hasn't," he replied. "Sensei told us not to ask questions. He said that Leo would tell us about it when he's ready."

"Oh, that's cool, I guess," said Casey. He scanned the street below. "It's kinda quiet tonight. I don't think we're gonna get a lot of action."

Just as the words came out of his mouth, a woman's scream pierced the air.

"You were saying?" said Raph with a grin. He leaped onto another rooftop with Casey behind him. They soon discovered the source of the noise. A man was grabbing a woman while she cowered in fright.

"Calm down, sweet thing," said the man. "This won't hurt a bit." He was obviously drunk.

"Let go of me!" screamed the woman. "I have a husband and two kids at home!" The man didn't listen and pulled her closer.

"Yo, punk, didn't your mama ever tell you to respect a lady?" said a voice.

"Who's there?" demanded the man in a frightened voice.

"None of your business," said Raph. "Now, let the girl go."

"No way!" exclaimed the man. "She's mine!" Get your own broad!"

Raphael sighed. "I was hopin' I wouldn't have to do this," he said. He stepped out of the shadows with his sais in hand.

The man released the woman and backed away. "Who—who are you?" he asked fearfully.

"Your worst nightmare," replied Raph. He lunged at the man and managed to knock him down. The man gave a whistle, and a group of men came out of the shadows.

Raph grinned. "Oh, so that's how you want to play," he said. "Well, I've got backup too."

And with a cry of, "Goongala!" Casey Jones leapt down and joined the fray.

The fight did not last very long. These guys were obviously not gang members, just a bunch of drunks trying to act tough. Most of them were so drunk, they passed out right there on the street. Only the leader was left standing with two other guys.

"Dude, this is crazy!" said one of the guys. "Let's get out of here!"

"I'm with you on that," said the second guy. The two of them quickly fled the scene.

"I don't need those guys," said the leader. "I can take you guys on myself." He tried to throw a punch, but ended up missing and crashed onto the pavement. Raph and Casey waited, but he didn't get up.

"Well, that was new," commented Casey.

'Yeah, it was," agreed Raph. Then, something caught his eye. Six figures were running across the building across from them. He didn't have to take two guesses as to who they were. Foot Ninjas. Raph wanted to go after them, but something was telling him not to.

"Raph, are you okay?" asked Casey.

"I think so," answered Raph. "I want to go after those Foot Ninjas, but there's a voice in my head tellin' me not to."

"Dude, ignore it," said Casey. "Let's follow 'em."

The two of them leapt from their building to the other building and followed the six Ninjas. Luckily, the six Foot Ninjas were fixed on their destination and didn't sense the two following behind them.

Anger coursed through Raphael's veins as he pursued the Foot Ninjas. He reached into his belt and took out a shuriken. Casey saw him do it and looked surprised.

"Raph, are you nuts?" he asked. "What are you doing?"

"Gettin' payback," answered Raph. He threw the shuriken, and it landed right in a Foot Ninja's leg. The Ninja went down with a yelp, causing the others to turn around and spot Raph and Casey.

"This isn't good," Casey commented, but Raph didn't back down. He took out his sais, ready to fight the scum who tortured his brother.

The Foot Ninjas responded by drawing their weapons, but the leader stopped them.

"Leave them!" he commanded. "We were told not to attack the Turtles. They are for Mistress Karai to deal with."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Raphael demanded, but the Foot Ninjas didn't answer. Instead, they turned and fled the scene.

The red-clad Turtle wanted to go after them, but Casey stopped him.

"Don't do it, Raph," he advised. "I know you want to get them back, but you need to be with Leo. I know he wouldn't want you to get in trouble."

"Yeah, you're right," Raph said. "He's probably gonna lecture me once he hears about this."

"Well, just don't tell him you ran into some Foot Ninjas," Casey told him.

Raph shook his head. "Leo's pretty good at knowin' when one of us is lyin'," he said. "I think Splinter taught him how to detect if we are or not. Besides, I think Sensei needs to know what the Foot said. He'll want to talk about what needs to be done."

"Won't he be mad when he finds out you fought them?" asked Casey.

Raph laughed. "Probably," he answered. "C'mon, let's get the shell out of here."

**The Lair**

Michelangelo sat in the infirmary keeping watch over Leo. He felt that it was his duty to do so since Raph and Don were out. His gaze strayed from the Justice Force comic book that he was reading onto Leo's sleeping form. He felt so sorry for his big brother. Why did Leo always got seriously hurt? Sure, all of the Turtles had been injured after the last battle with the Utrom Shredder, but that was the only time. Every other time it had been Leo who bore the battle scars. Mikey truly wished he could trade places with Leo.

Mikey's thoughts were interrupted by his sensei. As he walked into the room, Mikey noticed that Splinter looked a lot older than he had before. The orange-clad Turtle knew it was because of Leo's disappearance. He only hoped that things would get better now that Leo was back.

"Michelangelo, you should go to bed," said Splinter gently. "I will keep watch until your brothers come home."

"Are you sure?" asked Mikey. "I can stay up longer if you want me to."

"No, you need your rest," insisted Splinter. "I will be fine."

"Okay," said Mikey with a smile. "See you in the morning, Sensei."

"Have sweet dreams, my son," said Splinter. He embraced Michelangelo and kissed him on the forehead. Then he returned to the chair that his youngest son had vacated.

As he gazed at his oldest son's face, Splinter felt a wave of guilt wash over him. He had failed his son in the past two months. He should have told his other sons to go back and rescue Leonardo immediately. Instead, he had postponed the rescue mission until Casey and April returned because he felt that they would be useful in the rescue mission. April had been with her sister, while Casey had been at the farmhouse with his mother. In doing so, he had subjected his oldest son to two months of torture and punishment. He only hoped that Leonardo would forgive him for what he had done.

The sound of the Lair door opening roused Splinter from his thoughts. He turned to see Donatello come into the infirmary, an anxious look on his face.

"Leonardo is fine, Donatello," reassured Splinter. "He has been sleeping peacefully."

Don breathed a sigh of relief. "Good," he said. He went over to examine Leo and to make sure that everything was in order. After that, he bid Splinter good night and headed upstairs to bed.

Not long after that, Raph came home. He hurried to the infirmary, curious to see how his older brother was. "How's Leo?" he asked.

"He is fine, Raphael," Splinter replied. "If you wish to sleep in here, you may do so. I am going to bed right now. Good night, my son."

"Good night, Sensei," Raph said. He gave Splinter a hug and headed to his room. He retrieved his sleeping bag and pillow and headed back downstairs. He placed his sleeping bag and pillow right next to Leo's bed. Before he got in, he walked up to Leo and looked at his sleeping brother.

"Good night, Leo," he said. "If you need anything during the night, I'll be right here. See you in the morning." He squeezed Leo's hand and settled in for the night. He was glad his brother was safe and wouldn't be tortured ever again. Raph vowed to make sure of that. With this last thought in his mind, Raph drifted off to sleep, dreaming of beating the crap out of the Foot Ninjas.

A/N: Well, that's it for that chapter. I'm sorry it took me so long to do. I'll try to have chapter four done sooner. You know the drill. Please read and leave a review. Have a shelltastic day!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Negotiations

Chapter 4: Negotiations

A/N: Well, here's the fourth chapter. Sorry it took me so long, but I've been very busy with schoolwork as usual. I really hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed so far. You guys are the reason I'm still doing this. Enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Turtles. That would be a good graduation present, but I guess I'll just have to settle for the DVD of the Lost Season. TMNT are owned by Eastman and Laird.

Dr. Brendan Chaplin logged off his computer and sat back with a sigh. He had been working hard at trying to restore the Stocktronics laboratory so it didn't go to waste. The young scientist had been trying to recruit people via the Internet to see if they wanted to help rebuild the lab and work there. Since Stockman was, reluctantly, working for Agent Bishop he had abandoned the building.

Chaplin hoped that he could get a crew of people to help him with this cause. But right now he had to get ready for his date with Karai. He had asked Karai if he could take her to one of the fancy restaurants in New York, and she had agreed.

Chaplin got ready and headed over to Karai's apartment. He was excited that he actually had someone to take to dinner. He had never been popular with women in high school or college. They all thought he was too geeky and nerdy to pay attention to. But now he had someone who appreciated his intelligence and respected his efforts. Not only that, but she was very beautiful, too. Chaplin was very grateful for what he had. If it hadn't been for Oroku Saki, he wouldn't have gotten a good job, and he was glad that Karai had continued to employ him.

Chaplin knocked on Karai's door and waited. When there was no answer, he became a little concerned. Where could she be? he wondered. Then he remembered that she was probably still at Foot Headquarters. "Karai needs a break," he said to himself. "She's been working too hard."

Dr. Chaplin headed to Foot Headquarters and gave his name and identification to the guards outside. After he was permitted to enter, he went straight to Karai's office. The door was closed, which made Chaplin believe that Karai was inside doing paperwork again. He knocked on the door, hoping that she wouldn't ignore him.

Inside the office, Hun heard the knock. "Come in," he said. Normally, he wouldn't be so polite, but he felt that since he was working in an office, he had to act professional no matter what his true feelings were.

As he entered the office, Chaplin was astonished to see Hun sitting at Karai's desk. He thought Hun hated Karai and had separated himself from the Foot because of this hatred. What was going on?

Hun was equally surprised to see Chaplin. He kenw the young scientist had taken over Stocktronics in the hopes of building it up, but he hadn't expected Chaplin to be at Foot Headquarters.

"What brings you here, Dr. Chaplin?" demanded the large man.

"I was just seeing if Karai was here," replied Dr. Chaplin. "She wasn't at her apartment building."

"Yes, Karai is here," said Hun. "She's in the dojo with the Foot Ninjas. Why do you want to see her?"

"We have a date," answered Chaplin. "I'm going to take her to a fancy restaurant for dinner."

Hun refrained from rolling his eyes at Chaplin's comment. He couldn't understand why Karai would want to go out with a nerd like Chaplin. Then again, he wondered why anyone would want to go out with Karai, either.

"Well, I'll go get her then," said Chaplin. "Thanks for your help."

"No problem," Hun responded. "Have a nice date." Then he mentally cringed after the words came out of his mouth. If the Dragons heard him say that, they would think he'd lost his head. Still, he felt that he had to be polite to Chaplin, no matter how much the scientist annoyed him.

"Thanks," Chaplin said. He left the office and went to search for Karai. As he wandered the halls, he tried to remember where the dojo was. He remembered taking a tour once but couldn't recall where the dojo was located. He was about to give up when he heard the clanging of katanas nearby. He followed the sounds and peered into the dojo.

Inside, Karai was teaching some of her Foot Ninjas some extensive moves. She felt that they were doing well and would make her proud. If he had accepted her father's offer, Leonardo would probably have been among these Ninjas. She shook her head to rid herself of the thought. It was utterly ridiculous! Leonardo was her enemy and would soon be destroyed if her plan worked.

She called the Foot Ninjas to a halt. "Excellent work," she said. "You have done well so far. Keep practicing and you will excel to great heights. That is all for today. You are dismissed."

The Foot Ninjas bowed to her and left the dojo. When they were gone, Dr. Chaplin peeked into the room and came in. "Nice lesson, Mistress Karai," he said. "You really are a good teacher."

Karai turned around in surprise. "Dr. Chaplin!" she cried. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to take you out on a date," he replied. "I made reservations for us and everything. I know I told you about it."

Oh, shit, Karai thought. She had completely forgotten about it. She remembered accepting Dr. Chaplin's offer last week, but her plan for destroying the Turtles had driven it out of her mind.

"Yes, I remember," she told him. "I have just had a lot on my mind. I'm very sorry."

"No problem," Chaplin said. "I understand. It must be hard running all of this without your dad around."

Karai's face softened. "Yes, it is," she replied. "However, I do what I must do. Shall we go?" She was about to exit the dojo with Chaplin when the Foot Elite suddenly appeared. Chaplin let out a yelp of surprise. He had forgotten that the Elite could do that.

"What are you doing here?" Karai demanded.

One of the Elites held up the Sword of Tengu. "Mistress Karai, the Sword of Tengu has been repaired," he said. He handed her the glove she would need so that she could hold the sword.

Karai smiled an evil smile. "Good," she said. "The plan is finally in motion."

Dr. Chaplin was confused. "What plan?" he asked.

"My plan to destroy the Turtles," Karai answered.

"But you helped them," Chaplin protested. "You aided them in destroying the demon Shredder."

"That was different," she said. "The demon Shredder was not my father. I know that my father would want me to avenge him."

Chaplin shook his head. "What are you going to do with that sword?" he asked her.

"I am going to summon the Foot Mystics," she replied. "They will aid me in destroying the Turtles."

"You hate the Foot Mystics," Chaplin pointed out. "You never respected them. Besides, the Mystics aren't bound to anyone. They became free once the Heart of Tengu was destroyed."

'Yes, but I am going to use my power of persuasion," Karai told him. "If they refuse to help me, I will end their lives with this sword."

Chaplin thought it was a dumb plan, but he wasn't going to tell her that. "Good plan," he said. "So, are you going back to your apartment to get ready?"

"No, I am not," she answered.

"You can't go to the restaurant dressed like that," he protested. She was dressed in her Foot uniform. If anyone saw her in that, she'd be taken to jail.

"I am afraid I cannot go out tonight," Karai told him. "Perhaps we can do this another time."

"But, Mistress, you've been working all day," Chaplin pleaded. "You deserve a break."

"My work here is not done," Karai said icily. "I must try to summon the Foot Mystics here. Once I have persuaded them, I will go home."

Chaplin couldn't believe this! His girlfriend wanted to break a date to destroy those damn Turtles! It was obvious she didn't care about him. Who needed her? Maybe I'm better off being single, he thought. Being in a relationship certainly wasn't working out. But he knew that if he broke up with her, she could ruin him and maybe even kill him. He couldn't have that; she was the reason he still had a job.

"Well, I'm leaving now," he told Karai. "Call me when you get a chance. Good luck on your plan."

"Thank you, Doctor," Karai said graciously. "Have a nice evening."

Chaplin made no response and just left. As he made his way to the entrance of the Headquarters he almost ran into Hun.

"Leaving so soon?" the larger man inquired. "I thought you were going out on a date with Karai."

"The date's off," said Chaplin bitterly. "She said she has better things to do."

"Well, she can be like that," replied Hun. "Maybe you should break up with her. She obviously doesn't care about you."

"I would if it wasn't for the fact that she keeps me from being poor," said Chaplin. "Besides, she's the only woman who likes me for who I am."

Hun decided not to pursue the matter any further. It was obvious that Chaplin was smitten with the young woman, and nothing he said would deter that. "So, did she tell you what she was gonna do?" he asked Chaplin.

"She said that she was gonna summon the Foot Mystics in order to destroy the Turtles," answered Chaplin. "I told her it wouldn't work because of the Heart of Tengu being destroyed by the Turtles."

"And?" pursued Hun.

"She said she would use the Sword of Tengu to summon them instead," explained the doctor.

The larger man snickered. "I highly doubt this plan will work," he said dryly. "I already told her that if it doesn't work, I get to annihilate the Turtles myself. Don't be surprised if she tries to use you to cover up her mistakes." With that, he left the young scientist to muse on these thoughts.

Defeated, Chaplin headed to his own apartment. He knew that if he challenged Karai, she would more than likely do something horrible to him. He would be out of a job and forced to leave New York! What was going on with Karai? Why was she so obsessed with destroying the Turtles? Had she always hated them, or was she once friends with them? Chaplin had suspected this, but she had never told him about how she first met the Turtles. Maybe he would ask her that if they ever went out on their date. That is, if she wouldn't go ballistic when he brought it up. He decided to put these thoughts out of his mind and got ready to watch a Star Trek marathon.

Meanwhile, Karai had her own agenda. After Chaplin left, she headed to the room where the Foot Mystics used to reside. She stepped up to the pool that the Mystics had used to attack the Turtles and Splinter. It was because of this that she had also found the Lair, which resulted in her attacking and demolishing it. Karai only hoped that this would work. The woman took the Sword of Tengu and placed it above the pool. Then, closing her eyes, she began to focus only on the Mystics to summon them to her.

Elsewhere, the Foot Mystics were just wandering when they felt a sudden pull of energy. Even though they did all they could to resist the energy, they were unable to. The Mystics disappeared and found themselves in a room they knew all too well. What made them angry was who was waiting in that room to greet them.

Karai was pleased that the Sword had done its work. "Hello, Mystics," she said. "Long time no see."

Metal bristled. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded.

"I summoned you here because I need your help," replied Karai. "I have devised a plan to destroy the Turtles, and you are going to play a prominent role in it."

"We will never serve you, usurper!" snarled Fire. "We were freed from you once the Heart of Tengu was destroyed. It is a pity that you survived the night our true Master came to power. But no matter. It will be our pleasure to finish you off."

As one, the Mystics advance on her, but Karai was prepared. She instantly brought out the Sword of Tengu and activated it. With a blast of energy, the Sword sent the Mystics against the wall.

"No!" Wind hissed. "This cannot be! The Sword of Tengu was lost. How did you find it and repair it?"

"I have my ways," Karai said mysteriously. "But enough about that. You will serve me and help me to carry out my plan. If you refuse, I will simply use this Sword against you, just as the Turtles' rat master did. The only difference is that I would end your lives permanently. Is that understood?'

Fire looked like he wanted to say something, but a stern look from Metal made him stop. "Yes, Mistress," all the Foot Mystics said.

The young woman sheathed the Sword. "Good," she said. "Now, let me explain my plan to you. A few months ago I captured Leonardo and subjected him to physical torture. I planned to end his life once and for all, but his wretched family came and rescued him." She gritted her teeth in anger over this.

"What is your point?" Metal demanded.

"My point is that I want Leonardo and his family destroyed!" Karai shouted. "This is where you come in, but you are to do nothing until I give the word. For now, I want you to keep an eye on Leonardo from here and report to me when he is fully healed."

"But, Mistress," Water began, "if he is wounded now wouldn't it be better to strike while he is vulnerable?"

"No," replied Karai. "I would rather he have a false sense of security. Attacking now would be too easy. It is best to wait when their guard is down. Once he's healed, I will go over the rest of the plan with you. I am going home now. I will see you tomorrow. Good night."

As soon as she left, Fire rounded on Metal. "What were you thinking?" he demanded. "We serve no one. Why should we even serve the usurper that dares to blaspheme our Master's name?"

"Patience, Brother," said Metal. "When the time is right, we will make our move."

"And when we do, this city and all its inhabitants will be ours," added Earth.

"I say we destroy Karai now and then destroy the Turtles," suggested Fire.

"Karai has the Sword of Tengu," Water reminded them. "If we strike now, she will know."

"We should keep an eye on Karai and the Turtles," suggested Wind. "There is no doubt that she is using us for her own personal gain. Once she has succeeded she will destroy us as well. When that happens, we strike."

The other Mystics agreed to this, although Fire was reluctant to do so. He knew that serving Karai would only lead to trouble, but he felt it would be better not to pursue the matter. Once his brothers got an idea, they tended to stick to it until it was carried out. For now they would serve the usurper known as Karai, but what she didn't know was that vengeance would come for the Turtles and for her.

2222222222

The Ancient One opened his eyes with a gasp. He had been meditating when he had been struck by a bad feeling. He knew that this feeling had to do with the Turtles, though he had no idea why he knew this. Something was going to happen to them! The Ancient One felt that he had to go to New York, even though he knew the Ninja Tribunal would not approve. Still, he had to try to persuade them to let him go. He got up and made his way to the Tribunal monastery.

The Ninja Tribunal were discussing matters among themselves. Even though The Ancient One was a member of the Tribunal, there were times when they wanted to discuss things out of his hearing. They were angry that he did not want to stay in the monastery itself, but had instead opted to stay at his own home. As the doors burst open and the Ancient One entered, three of the Tribunal members gazed at him with annoyance.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Chikara.

"I have been in deep meditation, Masters," answered the Ancient One. "While meditating, I was struck by a feeling that the Turtles are in danger. I must go to New York to warn them."

"Your place is here," Kan said sternly. "You chose to serve the Tribunal and that is what you will do. I am sure the Turtles can handle whatever it is."

"With all due respect, I do not think they will know what is coming," said the Ancient One. "They may need my help."

"You speak foolishness," Chikara scoffed. "This feeling you have is nothing more than false prophecy. You want to abandon the Tribunal just because of a feeling that you have, which is ridiculous. Most of the time, the feelings we have are a hindrance rather than an aid. I would advise you not to heed it at all."

"I do not want to abandon you at any costs," replied the Ancient One. "I am merely concerned about the Turtles and Splinter-san. They are family to me, and I want to make sure they are well."

"You must guard against this concern," said Juto. "Do not worry about what you cannot control and concern yourself with what you can control. The Turtles are great warriors and have learned much from us. They will be able to encounter whatever obstacle is in their way. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Masters," the Ancient One said, bowing to them. Then he departed to his home, feeling very frustrated. The Tribunal had no idea what his feelings entailed. The old man knew that some evil was going to try to destroy the Hamato family, and the Tribunal would be responsible for that as they were for Yoshi's death. As he entered his home, his eyes fell upon two letters written by Splinter. One contained the news of Leonardo's capture at the hands of the Foot, while the second one told of his rescue. The old man knew that Leonardo's recovery would be long and painful, and if this evil threatened to destroy them, he knew that the oldest Turtle wouldn't be ready for it in his state of mind, if he was awake. The Ancient One decided to write a letter to Splinter to warn him of the danger and to invite them to come here. He also decided to get gifts for Splinter's sons as a morale booster. They were his family, and he was going to help them whether the Tribunal liked it or not. He had lost a son to their foolishness, but he would not lose any others. With that last thought in his head, the Ancient One began to write.

A/N: Well, that's it for this chapter. I changed the title of the story because I wanted to have a third story in the AWP saga. I hope you liked it. If you have any questions, just leave them in your review and I'll get to them when I have time. Please read and review. Have a shelltastic day!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Family and Friends**

**A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to put up this chapter, but things were just hectic for me. Luckily, I've graduated college and am now in the process of looking for a job. It's not going well, but at least I can immerse myself in my stories, which is a good thing. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to all of those who left a review and have been sticking with this story. It means a lot to me. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT. If I did, that would be the best thing ever. They are owned by Mirage and Peter Laird. **

**When Leonardo woke up, he felt a momentary flash of panic as he surveyed the dark room. For a minute, he thought he was back at Foot Headquarters and everything else had been wishful thinking on his part. Luckily, it wasn't a dream but was real, he realized as he heard snoring coming from below his bed. That had to be Raph. Don snored softly, and while Mikey did snore, he also talked in his sleep. Raphael was the one who snored so loudly, you could hear him a mile away. The blue-clad Turtle had an urge to toss his pillow in his brother's face, but he knew what Raph would do to him if he did. **

**Instead, Leo just lay in bed and waited for the others to get up. He heard Klunk stirring beside him and began to pet his fur. He wished Donnie had put some sort of night light in the room. While he had never been afraid of the dark before, he had a different feeling about it now. The dark made him feel frightened and alone when he was at Foot Headquarters, and he knew he would feel that way for a long time. **

**Leo snapped out of his thoughts when he heard footsteps coming downstairs. It had to be Donatello, since Mikey always shouted a morning greeting or sang a song as he came down. The oldest Turtle was happy because Don would be able to give him a prognosis on when he'd be out and about again. **

"**Hey, Leo," Don greeted him. "Did you have a good rest?" **

"**Well, considering that Master Splinter gave me some of his herbal tea, I'd say I slept fairly well," Leo replied. **

"**That's good," Don told him. Then he proceeded to change Leo's bandages and put antiseptic on the cuts. Leo's wrists and ankles were sore from being suspended by chains, so the brainy Turtle took care of that, too. Although Leo was in pain, he was grateful to have a brother like Don who knew how to treat wounds. **

**Not long after Don was done and cleaning up, Mikey came bouncing down the stairs. "Good morning, everybody," he said, doing an imitation of Dr. Nick Riviera from The Simpsons. **

"**Good morning, Dr. Nick," Leo and Don answered, both smiling at their brother's humor. **

"**Geez, can't a Turtle get any sleep around here?" Raph grumbled. **

**Mikey turned to Leo. "Dude, I'm surprised you got any sleep with Raphie snoring," he commented. **

"**If my back wasn't sore, I'd be kickin' your shell right now, Mikey," Raph growled. He got up off the floor and popped his neck and back in. Then he turned to Don. "So, what's the prognosis, Doc?" he asked. **

"**Well, judging by Leo's injuries, I'd say he isn't gonna be out and about any time soon," Don replied. **

"**What are his chances for recovery?" Splinter asked, appearing suddenly as if out of thin air. **

"**He'll recover just fine physically," Don told them. "It's the mental state we'll have to worry about." **

"**What's that supposed to mean?" Leo demanded. "Do you think I'm crazy or something?" **

"**He didn't mean it like that, Leo," Raph explained. "Don's just sayin' you've been through a lot, and it's just gonna take time for you to open up about it. You know how you get sometimes." **

"**Yeah, you tend to beat yourself up when stuff happens to you," Mikey added. **

"**I know, guys, but I'm not doing that this time," Leo reassured them. "What happened to me wasn't my fault. There was nothing I could have done." **

**This should have made the Turtles and Splinter relieved, but they weren't. They knew that Leo would direct his anger at Karai and consume himself with his hatred of her and thoughts of vengeance. It was natural for him to feel this way, but Splinter and the others feared that the blue-clad Turtle would lash out at them because of his anger. **

**Mikey broke the silence. "Do you guys want some breakfast?" he asked. **

"**Yes, I believe we should all have some nourishment before we commence practice," Splinter replied. **

"**Sensei, do we have to?" Mikey whined. **

"**Yes, we do," Splinter answered. "We are dreadfully behind in our lessons." **

"**Well, maybe we should wait until Leo gets better," Mikey suggested. "That way, he won't be behind us." **

"**I never though I'd say this, but I agree with Mikey," Raph added. "It'd be easier if we all learn something new together." **

"**I think that's a good idea," Don chimed in. "Then no one would be left out." **

"**No, guys," Leo insisted. "Don't stop practicing because of me. You guys need to keep perfecting your skills. It's best to be prepared in case the Foot launch an attack." **

"**Your brother is right," Splinter said. "We must be ready for anything." He turned and headed toward the kitchen. Don and Raph followed him out after promising Leo they'd check on him again after practice. Mikey lingered long enough to ask Leo what he wanted for breakfast. **

"**I'll have some scrambled eggs and some orange juice," Leo replied. **

"**You got it," Mikey said cheerfully, leaving to make the eggs. Sometimes he would make breakfast for the whole family if they wanted it. At other times, he would only make breakfast for those who wanted a homemade one. It all depended on what his brothers and sensei were in the mood for. **

"**I'll have some of those scrambled eggs, too, Mike," Raph said as his younger brother came in and announced what Leo wanted for breakfast. **

"**You got it, bro," Mikey said. "Anyone else?" **

"**No thanks," Don answered. 'I've got mine." He pointed to the bowl of Special K and the plate of toast in front of him. Splinter said that he would like some eggs, so Mikey got to work, humming a tune as he did so. **

**Mikey was always the cook in the family, though Splinter had tried to teach all of his sons to cook. The other Turtles were fairly decent cooks, but Michelangelo was the best at it, which was why he made all the meals. **

**Splinter was reading the newspaper and commenting on some of the articles. "All of these robberies trouble me," he said. "It is very sad to see people act this way." **

"**If I had a nickel for all the robberies that happen in this city, I'd be a millionaire," Raph commented. **

"**The scrambled eggs are done!" announced Mikey. "You want this first batch, Raph?" **

"**Nah, give it to Leo," replied Raph. "He asked for 'em first." **

**Mikey nodded and put the eggs on a plate. Then he filled a glass with orange juice and put it all on a tray. Raph offered to take it to Leo so he could have something to do. He even asked Splinter if he could eat his own breakfast with Leo to keep him company. **

"**That would be fine, my son," answered Splinter. "I am sure Leonardo will appreciate it." **

**The red-clad Turtle picked up the tray and headed for the infirmary. He found Leo just staring at the ceiling. Wondering why Leo found the ceiling so interesting, Raph cleared his throat to announce his arrival. **

**Leo stopped staring at the ceiling and focused on his brother. "Hey, Raph, thanks for bringing me my breakfast," he said. **

"**No problem," said Raph setting the tray down on the makeshift table and wheeling it to Leo. Then he raised the bed so Leo was able to eat. He was about to leave the room to get his own breakfast when Mikey came in with Raph's plate and glass of orange juice. Raph took it from Mikey and thanked him, sitting down beside Leo's bed. **

**Leo dug into his scrambled eggs, savoring the taste. This was one of the things he'd missed while being at Foot Headquarters. While he hadn't exactly been starved there, the meals weren't as good as Mikey's cooking. **

**Raphael watched as Leo ate his scrambled eggs. He couldn't help noticing how Leo savored every bite before moving on to the next one. He wanted to ask Leo why he did this but decided not to. The red-clad Turtle knew that Leo would open up about all of this in his own time. **

**Leo saw his brother staring at him. "What's up?" he asked. **

"**Nothin'" replied Raph. "Just glad to see you have an appetite." **

"**I've missed this," said Leo as he took another bite. "So, how was patrol with Casey?" **

**Raph shrugged his shoulders. "It was okay," he said. "We beat up a band of drunks who were pesterin' a girl. We took down the leader, and the others ran scared. You had to be there." **

"**Did you find anything else?" **

**Raph was ready to say, "No," but he knew better. Leo and Splinter could spot a lie very quickly. He figured it would be easier to tell the truth. **

"**We did run into some Foot Ninjas," he admitted. **

**Leo stopped eating and looked at his brother. "Did they attack you?" he asked. **

"**Not exactly," said Raph. "I went after them first. I was so angry at them for what they did to you, so I wanted to get them back. I took out a shuriken and threw it at them." **

"**What did they do?" inquired Leo. **

**Raph related the rest of the story. As he listened, Leo was shocked at his brother's rash actions. What had Raph been thinking? **

**He was about to say something, but Raph cut him off. "I know what you're gonna say, Leo," he said. "I was stupid and rash, and I oughta be ashamed of myself. But look at this from my point of view. If one of us had suffered the same fate you did, wouldn't you want some payback?" **

"**Yeah, but I'd wait for all of us to do it," replied Leo. "I wouldn't just go looking for trouble on my own. You're lucky they didn't capture you. Have you told Splinter about this?" **

"**Not yet," answered Raph. "I'll tell him after practice. That okay with you?" **

**Leo nodded and continued eating. He didn't want to get in a fight with Raph right now; he needed to stay on good terms with his brothers. **

**Raph felt the same way because he dropped the subject. He tried to think of other things to talk about, but there wasn't anything else to say. After they saved Leo, their time was spent waiting to see if he'd wake up. Splinter had even postponed practice because he knew they wouldn't be focused. **

**Mikey poked his head in. "Hey, Raph, Splinter wants us in the dojo now," he announced. **

"**Okay," Raph replied. He stuffed the rest of his breakfast in his mouth and got up. Mikey took Leo's finished plate and empty glass to the kitchen where Don was washing the dishes. Mikey dried them and put them away since it was his and Don's turn to do the dishes that week. At an early age, Splinter had taught his sons the importance of having a home and their responsibility in taking care of it. **

**Raphael left his brothers in the kitchen and headed to the dojo. He found Master Splinter doing some katas as he waited for his sons. The red-clad Turtle watched his father perform the moves, his body moving with perfect grace. One would never think that Splinter was old if they watched him from a distance. **

**And yet, there was no denying the truth that Splinter was indeed old. For seventeen years he took care of his four sons. He had been through good times and bad times with them, and he had still remained strong. The Turtles had always believed their sensei was invincible because of his ability to bounce back from things. **

**After Leo's capture, that belief was changed. Splinter isolated himself from his sons, spending time alone in his room. Don guessed that their father spent hours in his room trying to find Leo via the astral plane. Raphael thought this technique wouldn't work, but he was wrong. That was when Splinter called to his sons in the midst of having a mild heart attack. **

**The last time this had occurred, it was an illusion courtesy of the Foot Mystics. For a few weeks after that ordeal, Donatello monitored Splinter's blood pressure despite the rat's assurances that he was fine. Don had done the same thing after this heart attack, and once again, Splinter had tried to stop his sons from worrying too much. This ordeal had been a wake-up call to the Turtles and had prompted a few nightmares involving their father's death. **

**They hadn't told Leo about this yet because they weren't sure what the news would do to his mental state. Don felt that it would be better to wait until Leo was healed to give him the news. **

**Splinter noticed his son staring at him. "Is everything alright, my son?" he inquired. **

"**Yeah, I was just thinking of stuff," said Raph. **

**He didn't need to say anything more. Splinter could sense what his sons were thinking and feeling. It was sometimes frustrating for the Turtles because they knew they couldn't hide anything from the old rat. Splinter decided to let things be for now. If Raphael wanted to talk about his thoughts, he would do so when the time was right. **

**Donatello came into the dojo, but Michelangelo wasn't with him. When Splinter inquired about this, Donatello replied, "He's getting some things to keep Leo company." **

"**That is fine," said Splinter. "We will wait a little longer."**

**While he was helping Don with the dishes, Michelangelo had the idea to bring Leo something to keep him occupied. He knew Leo would be upset that he wasn't practicing with his brothers. After telling his idea to Donnie, he quickly went upstairs and gathered some of his comic books together. Normally, he wouldn't allow anybody to touch his babies, but he knew he could trust Leo. **

**The Turtle in blue was staring at the ceiling, wondering when he'd be back in his own room when Mikey came in. **

"**Hey, bro, I thought I'd bring you some stuff to keep you company," the orange-clad Turtle said, giving him the comic books. **

**Leo was touched that Mikey was willing to entrust him with some of his most prized possessions. He accepted the comic books with a warm smile. "How was your last Justice Force meeting?" he asked. **

"**I didn't go," replied Mikey. **

**Leo was shocked. "Why not?" he inquired. **

**Mikey shrugged his shoulders. "Silver Sentry told me not to," he said. "He thought I should stay by your side and focus on you. Then he told me if I needed anything, he'd be there to help." **

"**But Don, Raph, and Sensei were with me," replied Leo. "I'm sure they would've called you if anything happened to me." **

"**Well, maybe I didn't want to go!" snapped Mikey. "Maybe I just wanted to live in the real world instead of living in a fantasy world. You always wanted me to be more serious, and I decided I would be. I knew if I went to my meeting, you would've accused me of being selfish." **

"**Mikey, I wouldn't have thought that at all," said Leo softly. "I would have wanted you to fulfill your duty as a member of the Justice Force and attend the meeting. But I am touched that you wanted to be by my side." **

**Mikey smiled at Leo's words. "Thanks, bro," he said. "I'd better get to practice before Sensei kicks my shell. I'll talk to you later." He gave Leo a wave and headed to the dojo leaving the blue-clad Turtle all alone. **

**Leo really wanted one of his brothers to stay with him because he knew that they would keep him occupied from thinking about the past two months. He picked up one of the comic books and flipped through it. He wasn't a major comic buff like Mikey was, but he didn't mind looking at them once in a while. **

**He tried to engross himself in the story, but he couldn't help trying to hear what was going on in the dojo. He wished the infirmary wasn't so far away. He could hear nothing so far, which meant that Splinter was leading the Turtles in warm up katas. Leo decided to continue reading the comic, though he knew he'd be dreadfully behind the others in lessons. **

**He tried getting interested in the comic again, but it wasn't easy. Frustrated, he put the comic down and tried to figure out what was going on in the dojo. Ah, it sounded like Splinter was teaching them new moves! Of all his brothers, Leonardo was the one who was always eager to try something new and often learned it the quickest. He would always be frustrated when they had to keep repeating a lesson because one of his brothers couldn't get it right. He tried to listen to Splinter's instructions so he could remember how to do the move when his father taught it to him. **

**After this, Splinter moved on to sparring. Leo could tell because he could hear Mikey telling Raph that he was going to, "Kick his butt," to which his brother responded with a frustrated growl. Yes, this was going to get interesting. Leo knew how much Mikey enjoyed pushing Raph's buttons, and it always worked. The hotheaded Turtle hadn't learned that getting mad wasn't the answer. **

**Splinter said that Donatello would spar with him, but Don insisted that he would spar the winner of Mikey and Raph's match, stating that he didn't want his father to relapse. Splinter relented since he understood his son's worries. Leo was confused by all of this. Relapse? What happened to his sensei? He decided that he would ask either one of his brothers or his father. They couldn't keep it a secret forever. **

**Just as Leo predicted, Mikey got Raph upset and cost him the match. However, the energetic Turtle got a workout from Don. Although the purple-clad Turtle was soft-spoke, he could fight well, and the result was that he beat Mikey. Leo figured that Don had used a strategy to defeat his younger brother. Splinter was pleased at how things had gone and made Don face Raph next. The red-clad Turtle managed to defeat his brother, but it wasn't an easy fight. **

"**Well done, all of you," Splinter praised them. "I am proud of all that you have accomplished. We will now end the session with some meditation to clear our minds." **

**Leo was glad to hear this because it meant he could participate for once. He couldn't get in the lotus position, but he figured that he could still meditate and not have to get in that position. He closed his eyes and tried to clear out every thought he had. Usually he could do this perfectly, but today it wasn't working. Leo kept seeing images of all he had been through during his imprisonment. He tried desperately to block out the images with no success. The blue-clad Turtle admitted defeat and stopped trying since he knew he'd fail. **

**He heard Splinter announce that practice was over and soon saw his brothers pass by the infirmary on their way to the showers. Mikey and Raph went first while Don waited for them to be done. They only had two bathrooms, though Don was tempted to have a third one installed so only one of them would have to wait. He told Leo that as soon as he was done he was going to check on his brother's condition. **

**After Mikey was done in the shower, he came downstairs, whistling a tune. "Shower's free, Donnie," he said. **

"**Thanks, Mikey," Don said, clapping his brother on the shell and going upstairs. **

**Mikey came into the infirmary. "Leo, you missed it," he said. "I totally wiped the floor with Raph." Then he kept up a running commentary of everything he'd had to do to defeat his hotheaded brother. **

**Leo smiled. "I heard it, Mikey," he said. "You beat Raph pretty good from what I heard. Nice job." **

"**Thanks, bro," Mikey replied. "So, how do you like the comics?" **

"**Well, I couldn't really concentrate on them," Leo answered. "I was too busy listening to the lesson. Plus, I've got a lot of stuff on my mind. I'll get to them eventually." **

"**Hey, no problem," Mikey reassured him. Then he imitated his father's voice. "If you need to talk, my brother, I will listen. However, if I'm immersed in a video game, it will have to wait." **

"**I heard that, Michelangelo," came Splinter's voice as he passed the infirmary. "You owe me twenty flips." **

"**But, Sensei, I was just giving Leo my support!" Mikey protested. **

"**Then you should do so as yourself and not as your master," Splinter advised. Then he turned to his oldest son. "Are you alright, Leonardo?" he asked. **

"**I'm fine, Sensei," Leo told him. "Don's going to be checking on me as soon as he gets done in the shower." **

"**Do you feel any pain?" Splinter inquired. **

"**Not much," Leo lied. "Don's medicine has really helped." **

**Splinter could tell his son was lying but decided to overlook it. "Good," he said. "This afternoon I will make you some tea." **

"**I'd like that, Sensei," Leo replied. **

**Raph finished his shower and went over to the wall of televisions after checking on his older brother first. Mikey joined Raph and challenged him to a video game wrestling match. Still smarting from his defeat, Raph readily accepted and hoped to put his little brother in his place. **

**Not long after, Don came down and went to examine Leo. He concluded that Leo was healing fine, but that it was still going to be a long process. "If you feel any pain, you should tell me right away," he cautioned. **

"**I will, Donnie," Leo promised. "Don't worry." **

**Don smiled and headed to his lab to work on one of his inventions. Leo decided to read some comics since everyone else was occupied with something. He became so engrossed in the story, he didn't even hear Mikey and Raph yelling at each other about their game. This was the feeling he often got when he meditated. He was transported to the world of the Justice Force and felt like he had left the Lair altogether. He could see why Mikey loved reading comic books. For him, these comics were his form of meditation, a way for him to escape the crisis-ridden world around him. Leo felt bad that he had ever made fun of Mikey's love of comic books. **

**In the afternoon Splinter came in with tea and two teacups. Leo was very happy to see his sensei and smiled as the old rat pulled up a chair and set the tray down. Splinter poured the tea and handed a cup to his oldest son. The blue-clad Turtle accepted the tea with a bow of thanks, which Splinter gave in return. **

"**So, have I missed anything?" Leo asked his father. **

"**What do you mean my son?" inquired Splinter. **

"**What's been going on?" replied Leo. "Has anything happened topside since I've come home? What are the Purple Dragons up to?" **

"**Your brothers did not go topside when you were brought home," Splinter answered. "They were keeping watch over you instead. However, Mr. Jones kept us informed of what they were doing." **

"**Raph ran into some Foot Ninjas last night," informed Leo. **

"**Yes, he told me of his encounter," Splinter told him. "I informed him that he should never have acted so rashly, but I understood his anger. It was the same anger I felt when I saw you in that room. I was angry at what the Foot had put you through, and I was afraid that you would not live." **

"**I had that fear, too," Leo replied. "I felt like just giving up, but each time I did, I thought of you and my brothers telling me not to give up. I replayed the Ancient One's words and lessons to myself, and it helped. But I won't deny that it was hard not to just let it all end." **

"**I know it was," Splinter said, putting a paw on his son's hand and giving it a squeeze. "I can see the pain in your eyes. Now, let us talk of happier things to get our minds off of the pain." **

"**Sensei, I can't do that," Leo began. "I need to tell you something. I know it won't be easy, but I need to tell you." He really didn't want to talk about it, but he figured it was best to get it over with rather than prolonging it. **

"**Alright, my son," said Splinter. "Please proceed." **

**Leo took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "After I got captured, I tried using my chi to see if I could sense you," he said. "For a little while, it worked, but as I got weaker, it became harder to find you. I always did this when I was alone, and it gave me some comfort. One day I tried using my chi, but the sense wasn't as strong as it used to be. However, I could tell that something wasn't right. The feeling I had was one of panic. I thought that maybe it was because you guys were looking for me and couldn't find me. But then I felt pain, and it wasn't just the pain of my injuries. It was like I was feeling someone else's pain, like there was something wrong with one of you. Was this true, or was I just imagining it?" **

**Splinter sighed. He had hoped he could put off telling Leonardo what had happened, but such an option wasn't possible. Donatello would be angry, but Splinter knew that Leonardo needed to be told, no matter how painful it was. "Leonardo, you were not imagining it," he replied. "I, too, was trying to reach you through the astral plane. I did not know if I could succeed, but I did. I saw you hanging from those chains, lying motionless. It brought intense pain to my heart to see you in that condition. My distress was so great that I had a mild heart attack. After I was stable, I told your brothers I kne where you were, and they went to rescue you." **

**Leo was shocked. He hadn't realized just how much pain his family had gone through. They'd had to deal with his capture and with Splinter having a heart attack. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, Master," he said. "I wish it hadn't happened." **

"**We all wish that, Leonardo," Splinter told him. "Perhaps we should speak of something else. I do not want you to relive painful memories right now." And he began to talk about the new lessons he planned to teach them and explain more about his memories of Master Yoshi. Leonardo listened to his father's memories, feeling a little better. **

**Not long after this, the door to the Lair opened, and a voice called out, "Hey, guys anybody home?" The Turtles and Splinter were surprised to see April O'Neil, Casey Jones, and Angel. Casey was carrying a large package while April and Angel carried groceries. **

**Hey, long time, no see," Mikey said, greeting the three friends. **

"**It's so good to see all of you," April said. "How's Leo?" **

"**He's fine," Raph reassured her. "You can go see him if you want." He took the groceries from her so she could go to the infirmary. Mikey took Angel's groceries off of her hands. **

**April and Angel approached the infirmary tentatively but smiled when they saw Leo was awake. April hurried to his side and gave him a gentle hug. "Oh, Leo, it's so good to see you," she gushed. "I was so worried about you." **

"**Yeah, me, too," Angel added. **

"**I'm fine, you guys," Leo said. "Don's been very good to me. He's helped me out a great deal." **

"**Leo, I want to apologize to you," said April. "I wish I had been here sooner to save you. It's just that Robyn was in an accident, and she needed my help. I've been feeling just awful about it. I'm so sorry. If there's any way I can make it up to you, I'll do it." **

"**Same here," added Casey. "I didn't want to go to the farm, but you know Ma. She can't take no for an answer." **

"**Guys, it's okay," said Leo reassuringly. "I understand you had to be with your families. Everything's fine now. You don't have to make it up to me at all." **

"**Hey, what's in this package?" called Mikey from the living room. **

**Casey shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno," he replied. "It's from Japan." **

"**It has to be from the Ancient One," said Leo. "He's the only one we know from Japan." **

"**Can we open it now?" Mikey begged. "Please?" **

"**Michelangelo, you must wait," Splinter replied. "April and Angel have a lesson to attend to. We will open it after the lesson." **

**Mikey wasn't happy, but he knew better than to argue. Instead, he went back to the televisions and began flipping through channels. Raph and Casey sat down and started talking about the next wrestling Pay-Per-View while Don went with Splinter to help with the session since Leo couldn't help out. Leo talked with Raph and Casey, happy to have some company. **

**After the practice session was over, April and Angel went to take showers while Splinter made sure the package wasn't opened up yet. He was surprised that Michelangelo hadn't tried to use Casey's pocket knife to open the package while Splinter was gone. Perhaps he was actually learning to be patient. **

**When Mikey saw Splinter, his thoughts turned back to the package. "What do you think the Ancient One sent us?" he asked. **

**Raph shrugged. "Maybe a nuclear weapon to wipe out the Foot," he guessed. **

"**Nah, I doubt he'd do that," Mikey said. "Maybe it's the world's largest pizza." **

"**Mikey, if it was the world's largest pizza, it would probably be moldy by now," Don pointed out. "It's probably full of letters and some tea for Master Splinter." **

"**What do you think it is, Leo?" Mikey asked his older brother. **

"**What Don said," Leo replied. "Letters and tea." **

"**Well, what are you waiting for?" Angel asked as she and April returned. "Open it." April nodded, eager to see what was in the package. **

**Casey took his pocket knife out and opened the package. Inside were various wrapped packages with envelopes attached to them. Splinter gave each item to the Turtle it was addressed to and then took his own package as well. **

**Mikey received a stack of Japanese manga books as well as some Japanese editions of some Justice Force comics. Mikey was in awe that the Ancient One had thought about him and knew of his love of comics. "This is so awesome," he said. "I'm going to store some of these babies where certain brothers can't ruin them." **

**Don's gift was a set of science textbooks by some well-know Japanese scientists. "These will be helpful for some of my inventions I plan to make," he commented. "It'll be interesting to see what the Japanese take on science is." **

**Raph was given some wrestling magazines and DVDs, including some sumo wrestling magazines. The red-clad Turtle wasn't fond of sumo wrestling, but he figured it would be rude to decline them. "Now I got some new stuff to watch and read," he said. "I'm surprised the Ancient One could find any of these DVDs. They're hard to come by." **

**But it was Leo's gift that caused everyone to gasp in awe. Leo opened his package to reveal katana sheaths with two twin katanas inside. Leo lifted one out and saw how beautiful it was. Tears came to his eyes as he remembered how he had lost his other swords. "These are so neat," he said. He opened the letter and skimmed through it. "He says that these were meant to be Master Yoshi's," he told them. "The Ancient One was going to give these to Yoshi if he joined the Tribunal." **

"**Well, you deserve those, bro," Raph said. "I can't think of anyone else who could use those swords but you." **

**After admiring the presents for a little while, the three humans had to go home. Casey proposed that after Leo got better they could have a vacation up at the farm. The Turtles were excited about this since they hadn't had a vacation in a long time. It would be nice to get away from the city for a while. **

**While his sons amused themselves with their presents, Splinter went to his room, carrying his box of tea and the letter the Ancient One had sent him. He set the tea down and opened the letter, eager to see what the Ancient One had to say. As he looked at the letter, he became concerned with what his friend had to say for it wasn't good news. **

_**Dear Splinter-San,**_

_**I am very glad that Leonardo is home safely. I was very worried when I heard that he had been captured. I know that it will take him some time to open up about what happened, but I hope he does not blame himself for this. I know it has been a hard time for you and your family, so I am enclosing gifts to help boost your morale. I do hope you like them. I am also sending letters to each of your sons, explaining why I have given them that particular gift. **_

_**And now for the real reason for this letter. I do not want to alarm you, Splinter-San, but I had a terrible feeling while I was meditating. I feel that you and your family are in grave danger. I expressed my concern to the Ninja Tribunal, but they told me to dismiss this feeling. I asked them if I could come and visit you, but my request was denied. So I am urging you that if you sense any danger, please come here. You may be safer here than in New York. Do not tell your sons of this feeling, for I do not want to alarm them. I hope that you are doing well. Give your sons my regards and do not forget to write me about Leonardo's progress. **_

_**Best wishes,**_

_**The Ancient One. **_

**Splinter's brow furrowed in concern after he read the letter. He didn't have to take two guesses to know what the Ancient One meant when he said they were in danger. It meant Karai was still coming after them and wouldn't rest until she had them. Splinter made up his mind that if he felt any signs of danger, he would take his sons to Japan to keep them safe. Karai wasn't going to harm his sons. He would make sure of that. **

**A/N: Okay, I'm sorry the chapter was so long. If it dragged out in any way, I'm sorry. I promise that I won't leave you in such a lurch again and that I'll try to have the next chapter up as soon as I can. Hopefully, nothing will deter me from doing this. I'm sorry the ending wasn't better, but I did my best. Please feel free to leave a review. Have a shell-tastic day! **


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Close Call

A/N: I'm back with another chapter. I want to thank those who have read and reviewed thus far. You guys are the best for giving me the kind feedback I've needed to keep this story going. I hope you enjoy this next installment. Feel free to read and review once you've finished reading.

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, even though it would be awesome if I did. They are owned by Mirage Studios, Inc.

It was time.

They had waited long enough and had been as patient as they could be. Now was the time to carry out the first phase of their plan. They would do as Karai wanted for as long as they felt it was necessary and then turn on her when she least expected it. It would be easy as long as it was carried out correctly.

As if on cue, Karai walked into the room, her green eyes glaring at the Mystics. "What is your report?" she demanded.

"The Turtle known as Leonardo is healing nicely," Fire answered. "He is walking on his own without help. They are planning to visit a farmhouse. We will watch them from there and wait for the right time to strike."

"Good," Karai responded. "Just make sure no one senses you. We don't need anymore errors as we had last time you tried to fool them." Then she turned and left to go to her office. So far, Hun was doing well and hadn't left anything unfinished, but she was afraid his loyalty wouldn't last. This was why she felt the need to make sure he wasn't making any shady deals.

As soon as she was gone, Metal said, "I say we forget the Turtles and get rid of her first."

"I keep telling you to be patient," Fire insisted. "We need to lead her into a false sense of security. Once she thinks she has where she wants us, we make our move."

"I grow tired of being patient," Metal snarled. "We need to act now and rid ourselves of this burden."

"And what of the Turtles?" Wind asked. "If Karai is destroyed, they may still come for us. We cannot let them be."

"And we won't," Earth replied. "We will destroy them as well, for they could be our downfall."

"Yes, we must not let them win," Water agreed.

"Then it is settled," Fire declared. "We will continue serving Mistress Karai until our opportunity comes. Once the Turtles are destroyed, we will destroy the usurper who dares to tarnish our Master's name."

2222222222222

As the weeks passed, Leonardo was getting stronger every day. He was even sitting in on practices to see what his brothers were learning. The blue-clad Turtle was happy to be anywhere other than the infirmary. His brothers were also happy that he was back with them, and it showed with each lesson.

In no time at all, Leo was participating in the lessons alongside his brothers. He was rusty at first but showed improvement with each passing day. Splinter was very pleased about this and made it a point to compliment his son when he did well. This praise would normally elicit biting remarks from Raphael, but this was not the case. Instead he was encouraging his brother and helping him whenever he could.

"Michelangelo, pay attention!" Splinter chastised. As usual, the youngest Turtle was goofing around, trying to make his brothers laugh. Splinter felt that this wasn't acceptable which was why he reprimanded his son. While Mikey had goofed off many times before, Splinter noticed that it was the first time in two months that Michelangelo had actually messed around during practice.

"Sorry, Sensei," apologized Mikey. "It won't happen again."

Splinter acknowledged his son's apology though he knew that his son would probably do it again at another practice. Then again, should he be angry at his son's exuberance? All of his sons had been affected by Leonardo's capture. Donatello had spent time in his lab, Raphael was either in his room or out "busting skulls" to relieve his anger, and Michelangelo was either in his room or in front of the television. His youngest son didn't pull pranks and rarely smiled or laughed during that troubled time.

Now that Leonardo had returned, all was well within the Lair, and that was why Michelangelo took it upon himself to entertain his brothers once again. Leonardo, who would normally lecture his younger brother, had a smile on his face. Apparently, he was enjoying the antics of the orange-clad Turtle. The old rat was relieved to see his son smile because that meant he wasn't dwelling on what had happened to him. He fervently hoped that his son wouldn't relapse into the broody state he'd been in after their final battle with the Shredder.

Later that afternoon, the family prepared to take the trip to the farmhouse. They had been anticipating this trip ever since Casey and April had proposed it, and they were going to make the most of it. While Casey and April were going to travel in the truck, the Turtles and Splinter were going to take the Battle Shell. Donatello concluded that since it resembled a moving van, it wouldn't stand out like its previous armored incarnation would have.

"This is gonna be so cool!" said Mikey. "Okay, let me make sure I've got everything." He pulled out a list of items he planned to take with him. "Comic books? Check. Bag of practical jokes? Check. Junk food? Check."

"Mikey, I wouldn't take all of that," said Don. "There's going to be a lot of things to do at the farm. You won't need all of this."

"What are you bringing to the farmhouse?" countered Mikey. "A whole pile of your inventions? Your trusty laptop?"

"I'm not bringing any of my inventions," replied Don. "I'm just bringing my laptop to work on research. Besides, I'll probably be busy fixing things around the farm."

"Whatever you say, Einstein," said Mikey. "Oh, I almost forgot to pack my Gamedude!" He started searching frantically for the gaming system until he found it behind his bookshelf. "Aha!" he cried. "Found it!" He put it in his bag along with a few games to play on it.

Don shook his head but said nothing more. He went downstairs to make sure the perimeter alarms were set properly and also checked on the cameras. "Better to be safe than sorry," he said.

After everything had been gathered, the family left the Lair and headed to the garage where the Battle Shell parked. Klunk followed them since he was going along on the journey. The last time the Hamato Clan had gone to the farmhouse, Klunk had been left behind and felt betrayed. This was shown after they had returned as Klunk had refused their advances of attention and lashed his tail in anger. Splinter concluded that it would be best to bring the cat along so he wouldn't feel abandoned.

The Turtles drew straws to see who would get to drive, and Donatello won. Raphael sat in front, leaving Leo, Mikey, Splinter, and Klunk in the back. At first the trip wasn't very eventful until Raph started arguing about what he wanted to listen to on the radio. This fight was stopped by Splinter's threat to make both Don and Raph walk to the farm.

When the Battle Shell stopped, Mikey was the first to get out. "I'm gonna take a dip in the lake," he announced.

"First you are going to unpack your things," corrected Splinter. "We are not your servants."

"Yes, Master Splinter," said Mikey meekly, and he went to gather his things. Klunk had exited the van and rushed up the steps to greet Casey and April.

The redhead smiled and bent down to pick up the cat. "It's so good to see you, Klunk," she cooed, nuzzling him under her chin.

"I hope you don't mind that we brought him along," said Don. "Master Splinter didn't want us to leave him alone in the Lair."

"Not at all," replied April. "The more the merrier. I guess we'll have to pick up some cat food and cat litter at the store."

"I'll handle that, babe," said Casey. "Just write down what you need, and I'll get it for you."

"I thought you hated shopping, Case," laughed Raph.

Casey shrugged his shoulders. "I'm used to it," he said. "Besides, April ain't as picky as Ma is."

"Why, thank you, Casey," said April. "It's nice to know I'm not picky."

"He said you weren't as picky as his mom," corrected Mikey. "You're still picky, just not as picky as her."

"Thanks a lot, Mikey," grumbled Casey.

April compiled the list of what she wanted, and Casey left to fetch the items. The Turtles put their things in their respective rooms, and Donatello asked April if there was anything to fix up.

"No, everything's working fine," she reassured him.

"Okay, all my stuff's put away," declared Mikey. "I'm going to take that dip now."

"Hey, you ain't takin' it without me!" protested Raph.

"I'd like to swim, too," added Don.

Leo smiled at his brothers. "Don't forget about me," he said.

Mikey's face split into a grin. "Last one in is a hatchling!" he shouted and shot off with his brothers coming after him. Mikey was fast, but Leo soon overtook him and got to the lake first. He took off his gear and made the first splash. It felt so good to be outdoors after being cooped up so long.

His brothers followed him in, Mikey immediately starting a water fight. Splinter had come out to watch his sons indulge in some much needed fun. He smiled, recalling when his sons were little and would splash during their baths (soaking Splinter in the process). Back then, he never imagined that his sons would have to through so many battles. He wished that he could turn back time and return to the days when the only thing he had to worry about was one of his sons getting a skinned knee.

When Casey returned and discovered they were in the lake, he called to them to help put away the groceries. They decided it would be best to help him out or risk his temper. Once the groceries were put away, the four brothers returned to the lake with Casey in tow. Splinter assured April that he would make sure no one was injured during their horseplay.

After lunch, everyone went to their own amusements. Mikey, Raph, and Casey watched TV, April and Don discussed various computer programs, Splinter read the paper, and Leo left to meditate by the lake.

It felt so good to be away from the city. Leo felt that maybe he could have some time to forget what had happened to him. He could just enjoy spending time with his family and being close to nature. He wouldn't have to worry about the Foot or Purple Dragons bothering them.

Closing his eyes, Leo set out to clear his mind and reach a state of tranquility. The key was to clear the mind of distractions and to banish all negative thoughts. He matched his breathing to the lapping of the lake and tried to rid himself of the horrid images that plagued him every time he tried to meditate. But as he tried to do this, the images became more pronounced, which made him try even harder though it still wouldn't work.

Frustrated, Leonardo gave up and decided to head to the barn. Even though Splinter was giving them time off from practice, Leo figured that a workout session in the barn would help him out. He unsheathed his katanas and began to do his katas, swiping at imaginary foes. He imagined that the Foot Ninjas who had tortured him were in the barn and lashed out at them.

"Want some company?" asked a voice. Raphael had come out to the barn because he didn't like the show Mikey and Casey were watching. As he watched Leo, he could tell that something was up. Maybe Leo would talk to him about it.

Leo spun around, but he didn't see his brother in the doorway. He saw Karai, the one who had tortured him for her own gain. Well, he wasn't going back ever again. He was going to defeat her once and for all.

"You!" he hissed, striking a stance. "How did you find us?"

Raph was confused. "Leo, I came out to get some air," he said. "Are you okay?"

Leo wasn't hearing Raph's words, but he was hearing Karai's mocking voice saying that he would never win. This only made Leo's anger even bigger. With a cry, he lunged at her, hoping to bring her down.

Instinctively, Raph took out his sais and parried Leo's attack. As he looked into his brother's eyes, he could see pure hatred there as if he wanted to kill. Raph's defense only made Leo angrier and made him attack faster.

"Leo, calm down," Raph pleaded. "I'm not here to hurt you."

Again, Leo heard only Karai's voice telling him to give up. "I won't!" he screamed and lunged again. He disarmed Raph and knocked him on his shell with a roundhouse kick. Before Raph could get up, Leo was on him with his katana pointed at Raph's throat.

This scared Raph, and he realized that Leo was seeing and hearing Karai, not him. At first he was at a loss of what to do, but then he remembered their training with the Ninja Tribunal. He recalled that they could harness their chi and were all connected because of this. They realized this after the battle with the Tengu Shredder when they were meditating and could hear each other's thoughts. Splinter had told them that even though they didn't have their medallions, they could still harness their chi and forge a connection. Raph decided that this was the time to use that connection. He closed his eyes and tapped into his chi, hoping to reach out to Leo.

As Leo was contemplating how to finish Karai, he heard a voice in his head telling him to calm down. Leo heard Raph's voice telling him that he was safe and that Karai wasn't there. Leo closed his eyes and opened them again seeing Raph on the floor with Leo's katana at his throat.

Leo gasped and got off of Raph, his swords clattering to the floor. "Oh, shell,'" he whispered. "What have I done?" Then he turned and ran out of the barn.

"Leo, wait!" cried Raph. He wanted to go after his brother, but he knew it wouldn't be a good idea just now. He got up and was about to leave the barn when Mikey came in.

"Hey, Raph," greeted the orange-clad Turtle. "I saw Leo run out of the barn. Did you guys have a fight?"

"You could say that," answered Raph and told Mikey what had happened.

"Whoa, that's freaky," commented Mikey. "Maybe we should talk to him."

"I think we should just give him some time," replied Raph. "He'll come around."

Mikey figured Raph was right, and the two Turtles went to the house and told everyone what had happened. Splinter echoed Raph's suggestion to give Leonardo some time to himself and then talk to him.

Meanwhile, Leonardo sat at the edge of the lake thinking about what he had done. He couldn't believe he'd almost hurt his brother. "What's wrong with me?" he whispered. He knew he couldn't stay with his family in this state. If he did, he'd probably hurt one of them even worse than what he'd almost done to Raph. The best thing to do was to go back to the Ancient One so he could help Leo out.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps drawing near. He jumped to his feet and scanned the area. He then spotted five Foot Ninjas coming toward him. He reached for his katanas and remembered that they weren't with him. What was he going to do? He didn't have time to call his brothers, but he decided to leave Raph a message via text asking for help. He only hoped that Raph had his phone on so he could get it. That was the last thought Leo had before he was engaged in battle.

Back at the farmhouse, Raph felt his phone vibrate and took it out. Seeing that he had a message, he opened it and saw that it was from Leo. "Guys, we gotta go," he said. "Leo's in trouble!"

"What sort of trouble?" Donatello asked.

"It doesn't say," Raph replied. "He just needs help."

Don took out his own Shell Cell and activated the tracking program. "According to the tracker, he's by the lake," he reported.

"Be careful, my sons," Splinter told them.

"We will," Raph promised, leaving the house with Don, Mikey, and Casey. They followed the signal, hoping they weren't too late.

While this was going on, Leonardo was fighting a losing battle. Where were his brothers? The Foot beat him mercilessly until he was lying on the grass. Just when he thought they were going to finish him, the leader looked up as though he sensed something and ordered his comrades to flee. Leo heard more footsteps and was worried someone else was coming to finish him off, but it was his brothers and Casey who appeared.

"Leo, what happened?" asked Raph.

"There were five Foot Ninjas," said Leo. "I tried to fight them off, but I couldn't. They fled just before you came here." He pointed in the direction that they had fled.

"That's weird," said Mikey. "They normally stay to fight us."

"We'd better spread out and search the area," suggested Don. "They obviously know we're here and could attack at any time."

"Not if I can help it," growled Casey, smacking a hockey stick in his hand.

"You guys go and search," said Raph. "I'll take Leo back to the house and join you after he's safe."

"You got it," said Mikey, and the three of them fanned out to make sure there weren't any Foot Ninjas lying in wait for them.

Raph helped Leo up and took him back to the house, telling him that everything was okay now. He could tell his brother was scared and needed reassurance that nothing would hurt him again.

"Raph, I'm sorry about before," Leo told him. "I just lost control."

"It's okay, bro," Raph replied. "You weren't seeing me at all. I understand how you feel, but I forgive you. Just take it easy."

Once they were at the house, Raph told April and Splinter what had happened and then went out to search with his brothers and Casey.

Splinter sat with his oldest son, who was trembling. "Are you all right, Leonardo?" he asked.

Leo shook his head. "I almost hurt Raph, Sensei," he whispered. "I could have seriously hurt him. I lost control again, just like I did when I hurt you." He closed his eyes to rid himself of the image of Splinter's wounded head caused by his sword.

Splinter hugged him tightly. "This was different," he soothed. "You thought you saw Karai and not your brother. You were able to snap out of this state, and no harm was done. I am not mad at you, my son. You have been through a terrible ordeal."

"Maybe I should go to Japan," whispered Leo. "Maybe I can seek the Ancient One again and get his help."

"That is a good idea, my son," replied Splinter. "However, I think we should accompany you on this journey. You need us to be with you, Leonardo." And Splinter realized that this was the danger the Ancient One had warned him about in his letter. They had to get away from the Foot. It was the only way to protect the family.

A few hours later, the Turtles and Casey came back and reported that no Foot Ninjas had been spotted. Raph guessed that the Foot had fled once they knew there was trouble coming. Splinter told them of Leonardo's desire to return to Japan and of his suggestion that they accompany the oldest Turtle. This was met with agreement from the other three Turtles as they didn't want to be parted from their brother. April and Casey declined, saying that they would be better off in New York. They were worried for April's safety the most, but she reassured them that Casey would protect her.

"Very well," said Splinter. "We will leave for New York tomorrow and go on a boat to Japan tomorrow night. This way, we will not be detected by humans."

With this plan settled, the day went on as normally as it could. Leonardo stayed in the living room, today's ordeal still fresh in his mind. Raph tried to make Leo forget about what happened, but it didn't work. Leo would never forgive himself for what he almost did to his brother. While his family was willing to stick by him, he wondered if it was worth it. He didn't want to hurt any of them again.

It won't happen, he vowed to himself. He would make sure his family was safe no matter what. There would be no turning back when it came to protecting them and defeating Karai for good.

222222222

The Foot Mystics were frustrated. They had come so close to destroying Leonardo when they were disguised as Foot Ninjas, but they had failed thanks to his brothers. Mistress Karai wasn't going to be happy with their failure.

As if on cue, Karai entered the room. "What is your report?" she demanded. "Did you destroy Leonardo?"

"No, Mistress," Fire replied. "Leonardo's brothers arrived, and we had to flee. We knew it would be a disaster if they sensed our presence."

"The only one who would have sensed your presence is the rat," Karai told them. "You should have finished them all!"

"We are sorry, Mistress," Water told her. "We will not fail again."

"Make sure you don't," Karai ordered. "I want that whole family to be destroyed Have you learned anything else?"

"They are going to Japan," Metal answered. "They are going to visit someone called the Ancient One. I believe they feel that it will be safer there, but we have plans for them."

"Excellent," Karai said. "Keep an eye on them and strike when you see fit. If you fail again, you will pay. Understand?"

"Yes, Mistress," the Foot Mystics replied.

"Arrogant fools," Karai muttered after she left them. "If they fail again, I'll go to Japan myself and take out the Turtles. They must not survive." Her green eyes flashed on images of the Turtles' battered bodies at her hands. Yes, she would make sure they didn't survive. Her father would be proud of her once more.

A/N: And that's the end of that chapter. I'm not sure when the next one will be up, but I'll do my best to finish it when I can. Please feel free to read and review.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Battle of the Mind

A/N: Here's chapter 7. I want to thank all of those who have read and reviewed this story so far. It means a lot to me, and I hope that you will enjoy this chapter. Feel free to leave a review after you've finished reading.

Disclaimer: Don't own them though I truly wish I did. They're owned by Peter Laird and Mirage.

**Leo's journal entry**

_I had the nightmare again. It's usually the same thing every time. I know I should tell my family what happened to me, but I'm not ready. I'm afraid of what they might do once they hear what happened. Raph will get angry and do something rash, Mikey will have nightmares for weeks, and Don and Splinter will be more protective of me than they are now. I'm just not ready to deal with all of that. _

_I'm also worried about the incident at the farm. I know the Foot are after us, and nothing will stop them once they're set on a goal. I guess the only thing we can do is steer clear of them, but I know it won't work. They'll never stop until we're destroyed. _

_We leave for Japan tonight, and I'm ready to go. I know it's the best thing to do right now. Even though Raph has forgiven me for what happened, I can't forgive myself. I almost injured him. What if I had killed him? I can't get over the fact that I lost control again. I have nightmares where I've killed him or one of the others, and these nightmares are interspersed with the other ones I've had. _

_I guess the only thing I can do is just try to deal with this. I really don't want to tell my family any of this, but I know I can't keep it from them. They already know I have nightmares, and I'm just waiting for Master Splinter to ask me about them. If he does, I can't lie to him, so I'll just have to come clean. It's all I can do right now. _

22222222222222

Leonardo closed his journal with a snap. Ever since they'd learned how to write, Master Splinter had encouraged them to jot down their thoughts in a journal because it would help them to relieve stress and anxiety. Each year Splinter gave them new journals so that they had a spare one to use. Leo wasn't sure if his brothers wrote in their journals, but he did because it really did help him out. He hid it in a special place so nosy brothers (especially Mikey) couldn't see what he'd written.

After he hid his journal, Leo headed downstairs to see what was on television. He saw Master Splinter come out of his room and bowed to show respect to his father.

Splinter returned the bow and smiled at his oldest son. "Would you like to join me for tea, Leonardo?" he asked.

"Sure, Sensei," Leo replied. He followed his father into his quarters and saw that the tray containing two teacups and the teapot was already set out. The blue-clad Turtle sat opposite his father and let him pour the tea.

"How have you been feeling, my son?" Splinter inquired.

"I'm fine," Leo replied. "I don't feel pain anymore. Don says I'm fully healed."

"Yes, I know that," Splinter told him. "I was asking about your mental well-being. For someone to suffer as you did, I would expect your mental state to suffer."

Well, Leo had been right when he'd predicted that Splinter was going to ask him about his mental state. He knew the best thing to do was to come clean about everything. "I keep having the same nightmares," he said. "Most of them have to do with what happened to me." He didn't elaborate further, and he fervently hoped his sensei wouldn't ask anymore about it.

"And what are the other nightmares about?" Splinter asked instead.

"Well, they involve what happened at the farm when…I attacked Raph," Leo answered hesitantly.

Splinter mused on what his son was telling him. "I can understand the dreams regarding what transpired in those two months you were gone," he began. "What concerns me are the ones regarding what transpired in the barn with your brother. Have you spoken with Raphael about the incident?"

"I apologized to him after he led me back to the farmhouse," Leo informed him. "He forgave me and said he understood."

"Then if your brother has forgiven you for the attack, why do you still have these dreams?"

"Because I feel guilty," Leo responded.

"You should feel no guilt," Splinter told him. "No harm was done. The problem is that you need to forgive yourself for what happened."

"But I can't!" Leo burst out. "No matter how hard I try to tell myself it wasn't my fault, the more my inner voice says it is. What can I do, Master?"

Splinter put a paw on his son's shoulder. "Do not fret, my son," he soothed. "Some battles can be fought by one while others must be fought by many. A battle of the mind is one of the hardest battles one must face. However, if you speak of your fears to those who can help you, you will be able to fight and win."

"I understand, Sensei," Leo said softly. "It's just that I don't know when I'll be ready."

"Listen to your heart, Leonardo," Splinter advised. "It will tell you when you are ready."

"I'll try, Master Splinter," Leo promised.

"That is all I ask of you," Splinter replied. Then he changed the subject to other matters. Splinter knew Leonardo didn't want to discuss his ordeal yet, but he had a feeling that if his son didn't face his fear, it would consume him and possibly destroy him. The father in him was determined to make sure such a thing didn't happen. He would do anything to protect his family at any costs, just as his sons would do anything to protect him.

22222222222222

"Are we there yet?" Mikey whined as he gazed out the window of the ship for signs of land.

"Mikey, it's only been a few hours," Don pointed out. "It'll take us a few days to reach Japan."

"Well, we should've gotten on a faster ship," Mikey complained. "This one's too slow."

"Take it up with the captain," Raph retorted. "Maybe that'll make the ship go faster."

"I'll pass," Mikey replied. "He'd probably faint in terror and leave us stranded in the ocean."

"Michelangelo, enough," chastised Splinter. "Leonardo has a headache, which is probably worse now because of your incessant complaining. If you are not satisfied with the pace, perhaps you would like to swim to Japan, which would take even longer than the ship to reach land."

Mikey became silent since he knew Splinter was right. He reached into his bag and pulled out a comic book and his makeshift reading light that Donatello had made for all of them. He was worried about his older brother's condition and what had prompted the headache. He figured it had to be stress over what had happened at the farm. After hearing about Leo's attack on Raph, he began to avoid his older brother because he was afraid he was next. Mikey didn't know that Leo knew of this and that it made him feel worse, prompting the nightmares.

Don reached into his bag and produced some Tylenol. "Take these, bro," he said, handing them to his brother. Leo thanked Don and washed the pills down with a bottle of water. Hopefully it would ease the pain that was making his head throb.

The rest of the next few days were spent with various amusements, though there wasn't much to do. Mikey would play games with them, or some of them would read books or listen to music. Once they arrived in Japan, they stole cautiously off the ship and set out to where the Ancient One lived. They took every precaution they could for they knew it would be dangerous if they were spotted by anyone. Leonardo took the lead since he had been to the Ancient One's temple before and knew exactly where it was. It was cold as they traveled through the mountains, and Mikey joked that his feet were going to fall off, causing Splinter to thump him soundly with his walking stick.

As night fell, the family decided to set up camp. Leo built a fire while the others set up their sleeping bags. Their dinner consisted of trail mix and water, though Splinter had brought tea for those who wanted it.

"Man, I don't know how you did this, Leo," commented Mikey. He was about to say more when a sound made him jump in surprise. "W-what was that?" he asked, looking around.

"Demon ghosts coming up the trail," replied Leo calmly.

Mikey's eyes widened in shock. "Demon what?" he gasped.

"Calm down, Mikey," advised Leo. "They won't bother us if we don't bother them. Just stay quiet."

The Hamato clan watched as the demon ghosts made their way down the trail. They looked frightening, but they paid no attention to the group around the fire. They acted as though Splinter and his sons weren't even there.

Until Mikey sneezed.

Enraged by the noise, the demon ghosts turned and made their way toward the group, their swords raised.

Mikey shrugged his shoulders as his brothers glared at him. "I couldn't help it," he said, trying to look innocent.

"Heads up, guys!" Raph yelled as he withdrew his sais. "Looks like we're gonna have a fight on our hands."

"Raph, wait!" Leo cried. "You can't fight them. There's no way you'll be able to win."

"So, what do you propose we do?" asked Raph as he blocked a sword with his sai.

"You have to surrender," replied Leo.

"Are you nuts?" demanded Raph. "There's no way I'm givin' up to them."

"Suit yourself," said Leo. "You'll only end up with your head missing." As a ghost came to him, Leo stood and surrendered just as the Ancient One had advised him to do. But instead of leaving him alone, the ghost knocked him to the ground. Leo was shocked. This wasn't supposed to happen.

Raph smirked. "I guess surrenderin's not an option," he said.

"I don't understand," said Leo. "This isn't what happened last time."

"Maybe they're different demon ghosts," suggested Don as he blocked an attack with his bo staff.

"No, they're the same ones," replied Leo. "I'm sure of it."

"Well, if surrendering doesn't work, what the shell are we supposed to do?" asked Mikey fearfully.

"Perhaps you should tap into your chi," advised Splinter as he blocked a sword with his walking stick.

"Good idea," said Leo. Closing his eyes, he tapped into his chi and started to glow blue. Startled by the blue light surrounding the Turtle, the ghost gave a cry and retreated. As soon as they saw this, the other Turtles followed suit and scared away their ghosts as well. Master Splinter also managed to frighten his ghost, though he didn't have an aura around him as his sons did.

Once the ghosts were gone, the family settled down and ate some chocolate for dessert, talking about the event. Leo still couldn't get over how the ghost didn't acknowledge his surrender and continued to fight him. No one had an answer to this, so he dropped it. Splinter then suggested that they get some rest since they still had some traveling to do. The Turtles agreed and settled down into their sleeping bags.

Raphael was awakened by Leo crying out after yet another nightmare. They were getting more frequent, and Raph could guess what they were about based on Leo's muttering. He moved closer to his brother and started rubbing his shell soothingly. Leo relaxed as his brother rubbed his shell and eventually went back to sleep. Raph knew that Leo's ordeal wasn't over yet and wouldn't be until he talked about what was bothering him.

The next day the Hamato clan got up early (much to Mikey's dismay) and continued on with Leo in the lead. Splinter had decided to let his son lead since he had been to the temple before and had faith that he knew where he was going. The other Turtles had doubts, but they chose to trust their older brother. Soon they came to what would normally be a dead end to most, but Leo knew it was where the temple was located.

"Which way now, Leo?" asked Raphael.

Leo smiled. "Up,' he said. "The temple of the Ancient One is beyond this cliff."

"You mean we gotta climb all the way up there?" asked Mikey incredulously. "Why can't we take an elevator?"

"Because there isn't one, Mikey," pointed out Don.

And so the family made their way up the cliff face. Leo lost his footing a couple of times, but he managed to regain it with some help from Raph. Mikey joked that he'd need a foot massage after this, which caused Splinter to bap him on the head again.

When they reached the top, Leo led them to the front doors. Mikey, Don, and Raph gasped at the size of the temple and figured that the Ancient One had to be living fairly comfortably. Mikey even predicted that there'd be a flat screen TV and gaming system in there.

Once they entered, they saw a stone statue that was set near them. Before the Turtles and Splinter could move any further, the statue came to life and stood before them, its sword raised. The Turtles took out their weapons and got into a fighting stance, wondering what the statue would do.

"Who enters the temple of the Ancient One? " demanded the statue.

"Hamato Splinter and his sons," replied Splinter.

"We must battle to prove that you are worthy to enter," said the statue.

"Bring it on!" growled Raph, his eyes narrowed in anger.

"I will not fight all of you," said the statue. "I will fight only one who feels he is worthy to battle me. Who will it be?"

"I'll do it," answered Leo. "I've done this before, and I can do it again."

"Are you sure, bro?" asked Raph.

Leo nodded. "Yes, I'm sure," he said. "I can do this."

"Very well," said the statue, and he got into a fighting stance that matched Leo's. "Let the battle begin."

Leonardo was determined to beat the statue and prove he was worthy. As he battled, he thought he'd be able to defeat the statue easily. However, every time he was hit, horrible images kept plaguing his vision and distracted him from the fight. He tried to shake his mind of the visions, but nothing was working. He began to falter in his attacks, and the statue began to dominate. Leo suffered many blows which caused him to see horrible things referring to the torture he endured with the Foot and things that were happening to his brothers. It was all so real, and he couldn't escape it no matter how hard he tried.

"No, Leo!" Raph cried. He couldn't stand to see his brother beaten like that and decided to take matters into his own hands. He closed his eyes and concentrated as hard as he could until he felt himself transform into his dragon form. Teeth bared, he lunged at the statue and began to attack, swatting the statue with his tail. The statue tried to fight back, but Raph was too strong and caused the statue to break into pieces.

Don, Mikey, and Splinter were shocked at what they had seen but not as shocked as Raph. After resuming his normal form, he went to Leo's side and tried to pry off the pieces of the statue that were covering him. Don and Mikey hurried over and helped extricate Leo from the wreckage. He wasn't moving and looked wounded.

They heard footsteps and turned to see the Ancient One hurrying to them. "What happened?" he asked as he came to their side.

"This statue told us he needed to fight one of us to see who was worthy," replied Raph. "Leo took the challenge, but didn't do so well, so I helped. What was up with that statue?"

"The Tribunal set up that statue to protect me," answered the Ancient One. "I did not know you were coming, or I would have warned you. What brings you here, Splinter-san?"

"We will discuss the answer to your question later, Ancient One," replied Splinter. "For now we must attend to Leonardo."

The Ancient One saw Leo and was shocked. "Bring him in," he ordered. "He is wounded and needs attending to."

The Turtles and Splinter picked Leo up and carried him to the Ancient One's headquarters. All of them were hoping that the oldest Turtle would be okay, and they whispered this to him as they carried him to safety. They only wanted Leonardo to hear them and pull through this.

"C'mon, Leo, snap out of it," begged Mikey.

"You can do it, Leo," encouraged Don.

"Please wake up, bro," whispered Raph.

"Come back to us, my son," said Splinter.

Leo didn't respond, and they feared this was one battle he had lost.

A/N: And that's the end of the chapter. So, will Leo live or not? You'll have to keep reading to find that out. Feel free to leave a review once you've finished reading to tell me what you think. Thank you, and have a shell-tastic day.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Things Just Keep Getting Better

A/N: Hey, I'm back Sorry for the long wait, but I had a bit of writer's block which was preventing me from writing this chapter. I want to thank those who have read and reviewed this story thus far. I really hope you enjoy this chapter. Please feel free to leave a review once you've finished reading.

Disclaimer: TMNT are property of Mirage Studios, Inc. I only own the plot.

He could hear voices, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. It felt like they were miles away, and he had to struggle to reach them. Pain racked his body in waves, but he ignored it so he could concentrate on the voices. He had to find out what they were saying.

Some of the voices sounded like they were leaving him. Where were they going? They couldn't leave him; he needed them. He had to get to them, so he concentrated his energy and willed himself to go toward the voices.

He was getting closer, and he could understand what one of them was saying. It was a gruff voice urging him to wake up. An image flashed of a Turtle in a red mask. It was Raphael who was by his side. Leo forced his eyes to open, and they did so slowly. It hurt, but he tried to block out the pain. He let out a moan, despite his effort to mask the agony he was in.

Raphael jumped at the voice. "Leo, are you okay?" he asked.

"Raph, is that you?" whispered Leo. He wanted to be sure he wasn't dreaming.

"Yeah, it's me," replied Raph, squeezing his brother's hand. "How're you feeling?"

"I'm in a lot of pain, Raph," said Leo. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Yeah, it's pretty obvious," answered Raph. "I'd better tell the others you're awake." But before he could get up, Mikey bounded in.

"Hey, Raph, I thought I'd take over your watch--" he began, but he stopped when he saw that Leo was awake. "Leo, you're okay!" he cried. "Dude, you scared us there for a while 'cause we didn't think you'd wake up."

Leo smiled. "You didn't think I'd give up, did you?" he asked his younger brother.

Mikey laughed. "Nah, I had a feeling you'd come through," he said.

"Mikey, it's Leo we're talkin' about," said Raph. "He's the toughest Turtle I know. Well, besides me of course."

"That's totally true," agreed Mikey. "I'd better tell the good news to the others." And he ran out the door and into the kitchen area where Splinter, Don, and the Ancient One were sitting. When they heard Mikey's news, all of them bolted from the kitchen to where Leo was, thankful that the blue-clad Turtle had awoken.

Donatello examined Leo again and inquired about the extent of the pain. Leo told him that he was very sore but that it didn't surprise him since he'd been beaten by a stone statue. He concluded that the statue was probably pleased by his defeat.

"Nuh-uh!" contradicted Mikey. "That statue got his shell kicked in thanks to Raph."

Leo was shocked. "There was no way he could've beaten the statue," he said. "How did it happen?"

Mikey grinned. "He used his dragon form," he answered.

"You're kidding!" Leo gasped. "I didn't think we'd be able to do that without our medallions."

The Ancient One rolled his eyes. "You kumquats are a bit slow for ninjas," he remarked. "Do you recall your training with the Tribunal?"

"Yeah, but we figured we wouldn't be able to use our powers once the Tengu Shredder was defeated," Don told him.

"But you have forgotten about your chi," Splinter reminded them. "As you know, your chi is manifested when you focus from within. Because of this you are able to retain your powers that you had with the Tribunal as well as the reason you are able to forge a connection and share each other's thoughts and feelings."

"Does the Tribunal know about this?" Leo inquired.

"Of course they do," replied the Ancient One. "The Ninja Tribunal knows many things. Speaking of which, they probably already know you are here."

"Well, they ain't very good at welcoming guests," remarked Raph dryly.

"I must go and speak with them," said the Ancient One. "They need to know that I did not send for you and that you came of your own accord."

"I will go with you," offered Splinter. "It is best that they hear from me as well."

"I think we should all go," said Raph. "I wanna have a little chat with them."

"No, you and your brothers will remain here," said Splinter firmly. "There is no need to stir up trouble. We must not anger the Tribunal, no matter how angry we may be at them."

"We understand, Sensei," said Leo, speaking for all of them.

"Very well," replied Splinter. "We will return soon." Then he and the Ancient One headed to the Tribunal monastery, hoping that the Tribunal wouldn't be angry with them.

Once they were gone, Raph sat back with a sigh. "Things just keep getting better, don't they?" he said sarcastically. "Why can't we just have any peace in our lives like normal people?"

"Because we aren't normal, Raph," Leo replied with a smile.

"Hey, I wonder if there's a record for how many times a person's been injured," Mikey mused.

"If there is, I've probably broken it," Leo joked.

"I think you'd be the first mutant to break a world record of being injured so many times," Don told him. "Of course, we wouldn't be able to submit it because it would cause exposure, which would be disastrous for us."

"That's a bummer," Mikey sighed. "I could have gotten my name in there, too."

"Yeah, you'd be the world's biggest goofball," Raph quipped.

Mikey stuck his tongue out at his brother. "No, that would be your spot, Raphie," he said. "I'd be in there for the first mutant turtle to ever be champion of the multiverse!"

Raph scowled. "You're gonna pay for that one, Mikey," he growled, but before he could do anything, Don intervened.

"Cool it, you guys," ordered the purple-clad Turtle. "Leo needs his rest, and he can't get it with you two arguing."

"Hey, Don, did you bring any Tylenol with you?" asked Leo. "I kind of have a headache."

"Yeah, I have some," answered Don. He reached into his knapsack and pulled out the first aid kit. He got out the bottle of pills and handed Leo two of them. "Here, take some of my water," he said, handing Leo his bottle. "You probably have a concussion, which means you shouldn't go to sleep yet."

Leo thanked Don and took the pills. "I wonder what the Tribunal thinks about us being here," he mused after he'd taken the pills.

"I hope they don't throw us out," said Mikey fearfully.

"I doubt they'd do that, Mikey," reassured Don.

"After what we went through to get here, they better not turn us away," grumbled Raph.

None of the others said anything more. Instead they amused themselves with a few games of Uno, which Mikey had brought along.

Meanwhile, Splinter and the Ancient One entered the Tribunal monastery feeling anxious. They had no idea what the Tribunal would say about the Hamato Clan's arrival. Splinter was determined to make it clear that they were in danger if they stayed in New York.

The Ninja Tribunal eyed Splinter and the Ancient One as they entered. They were surprised to see the rat and wondered why he was there with his sons.

"What brings you here, rodent?" demanded Chikara.

Splinter bowed to them. "Honorable Tribunal, my sons and I have come to seek the Ancient One's help," he told them. "He sent me a letter that stated we should come here if we felt the need to escape."

"And why would there be a need for you to come?" asked Kan.

"The Ancient One warned me that my family is in grave danger--" began Splinter, but Chikara cut him off.

"We told him to disregard that feeling of danger," she replied. She turned to the Ancient One. "Why did you not heed us, Young One?"

"Forgive me, Masters," said the Ancient One, bowing to them. "I felt that Splinter-san needed to be warned, especially after what happened to Leonardo."

Chikara's angry face softened. "We are sorry to hear about what happened to your son," she said to Splinter. "I trust that he is well?"

Splinter shook his head. "No, he is not," he replied. Then the told them about what had transpired at the farmhouse and during their journey to the Ancient One's temple. "Leonardo was the one who requested to come here," he concluded. "He felt that it would be beneficial to receive the Ancient One's help."

The Tribunal stayed silent for a minute. Then Chikara said, "Very well, you may stay. I only hope that the danger you are running from does not catch up with you. You are dismissed."

"Thank you," said Splinter graciously. After bowing to the Tribunal, the Ancient One and Splinter went back to the temple. Both were relieved that that the Tribunal was allowing the Hamato Clan to stay. They went into the room where the Turtles were and relayed the news. The Turtles were elated and were ready to celebrate.

"Let's order some pizza," suggested Mikey.

The Ancient One laughed. "Silly kumquat, there is no pizza here," he said. "However, I think some miso soup will be a great substitute."

2222222222

**A few weeks later**

"Why the shell are we sitting in a circle?" Raphael asked.

They had just finished a rigorous training session and were sitting in a circle on the dojo floor. Leonardo was very happy to be working out with his brothers, and they were glad to see him back as well. Michelangelo made quite a few jokes about almost having to take over the leadership position until Splinter gave him a look that said he had better be quiet or he was going to do twenty flips.

"This is the beginning of our group therapy sessions," Splinter answered.

"Therapy sessions?" Raph repeated. "What for? I don't have a problem."

"Wanna bet?" Mikey muttered, which earned him a smack on the head from Raph.

"My sons, enough!" scolded Splinter. "I thought that perhaps we should share our feelings regarding Leonardo's capture. I know that we are all still feeling the effects of that trying time, and we need to talk about it."

"But, Sensei, I'm not ready to talk about it," protested Leo.

"I know, Leonardo," said Splinter gently. "That is why we are going to tell our stories first. Perhaps if you hear us speak about it, you will have the courage to tell your story. Is that all right?"

"Yeah, that's fine," replied Leo.

"So, who's going first?" asked Raph.

"I think Michelangelo should tell his story first," suggested Splinter. "After him will be Donatello, then Raphael, then myself, and finally Leonardo will tell his story. Do you agree with this?"

"Yes, Sensei," said the Turtles.

Mikey was a little nervous. He didn't want to tell about how he felt while Leo was captured, but he knew that it was the best way to help Leo get better. So he took a deep breath and began his tale.

A/N: And another chapter comes to a close. I hope you enjoyed it. The next five chapters will be all the stories concerning Leo's capture as told from the Turtles' and Splinter's perspectives. However, it will still be told in the third person POV. I've got a basic plan for these chapters but I don't know when they'll be finished. I'm sorry I kept you waiting so long, and I'll try not to do it again. But if I do, just bear with me, okay? Please feel free to leave a review once you've finished reading. I enjoy feedback. Have a shell-tastic day!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: No Laughing Matter

A/N: Hey, everyone. I want to wish all of you a Happy New Year. I know that it's been a long time since I updated this story, but I sort of hit a wall with it. This particular chapter has been done for a while, but I wanted to wait until the whole story was finished before updating again so you guys wouldn't have to wait between updates. Well, that didn't really work out as I hit a big wall of writer's block, so that's why it's taken this long for me to really get in gear and update. But now that it's a New Year, I've decided that my New Year's resolution is to update stories that I've kept on hold and to try and finish them. That includes this story, and I hope I can do so. I really hope you enjoy this chapter and that you stick around for more.

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

"Mikey, it's time to go on patrol!" Leonardo called up the stairs.

Michelangelo sighed. He had just gotten to the best part in his new Justice Force comic, and now he'd have to finish reading it later. He put the book on his nightstand and headed down the stairs, eager to see what adventure they'd have this time. Though he was sad to leave his comic, he hoped they'd encounter something exciting.

He found his other brothers waiting with Leo. He figured Don had been in his lab and that Raph had either been lifting weights or working on the punching bag in the dojo.

"I'm here, guys, Mikey said.

Splinter smiled at his sons. He had come out of his room when he heard Leonardo call to his brothers. "My sons, I see that you are ready to go on patrol tonight. I will be waiting for you until you get home."

"You don't have to, Master Splinter," Leo reassured him. "I'm not sure when we'll be back."

"I know I do not have to wait up, Leonardo, but I want to," Splinter told him. "All I ask is that you be careful."

Mikey smiled. "Don't sweat it, Sensei," he said cheerfully. "We're always careful."

"We'll be safe, Master," Leo reassured the rat. "See you when we get back."

"Good luck, my sons," Splinter said as the four Turtles left the Lair.

The four brothers walked through the sewers until they came to a ladder that led to an alley. With Leo in the lead, they ascended the ladder and into the alleyway. From there, they climbed a fire escape of the nearest building (taking care that no one would spot them) onto the roof.

When all of them were on the roof, Leo gave directions. "Okay, here's the game plan," he said. "This will be a routine patrol. If we spot any trouble, we'll scope out the situation first. No engaging the enemy unless it's absolutely necessary. Got it?"

"Yeah, we got it, Leo," replied Raph. He'd heard the same speech many times before.

"Well, I say we make this patrol more fun with a game of ninja tag," suggested Mikey.

"Mikey, this is no time for games," replied Leo. "We're here to make sure people are safe."

"Yeah, but we can still have fun, right?" asked Mikey, giving his older brother his best puppy dog eyes.

Leo sighed. It was very hard for any of them to resist that look. "Okay, we'll play a quick game of ninja tag," he answered. "But I still want you guys to be on the lookout for anything suspicious and contact the rest of us via Shell Cell if you see anything. Understand?"

"Yep," answered Mikey. He tagged Leo on the shoulder. "You're it!" he cried and started running across the rooftops. He looked back and saw his brothers chasing after him.

Mikey was doing his best to put some distance between himself and Leo. He looked back but didn't see anyone chasing him. Apparently, his brothers had decided to split up to make things easier. He vaulted over a rooftop then stopped to scan the area across from it. Seeing nothing, scanned the area below it as he remembered that he was also on patrol.

He flipped over to the next rooftop and scanned the area once again. He was surprised no one had come upon him yet. What was up with that? Before he could ponder what was going on, his Shell Cell rang.

"Talk to the Turtle," Mikey answered.

"Mikey, we got trouble!" Raph cried. "Get over to Fifth and Main!"

"On my way!" Mikey replied. He closed his Shell Cell and started hopping the rooftops to Fifth and Main. What sort of trouble were his brothers in? Knowing Raph, he'd probably engaged a couple of Purple Dragons again. But Raph sounded really worried this time. Maybe it wasn't Raph's doing.

When he arrived at Fifth and Main, he saw a large group of Foot Ninjas attacking his brothers. He jumped into the fray, his nunchucks whirling madly. He managed to knock down quite a few Foot Ninjas with a whirl of his 'chucks.

"Glad you could make it, Mikey," Raph grunted as he stabbed a Foot Ninja in the shoulder with his sai. Then he performed a roundhouse kick, knocking the ninja down.

"Me too," Mikey replied, blocking a katana strike and disarming the Ninja. "Where'd these guys come from?"

"Don't know," Raph answered. "Leo was chasin' me, and they just came outta nowhere."

Mikey nodded and continued to ward off Foot Ninjas. It looked like things were turning in their favor as the numbers seemed to be dwindling. Mikey felt confident that he and his brothers would come out on top.

"What's the matter?" he taunted a Foot Ninja. "Have you lost your touch? Do you really think you can beat us?"

His enemy didn't answer, but Mikey didn't expect one. He'd noticed that none of the Foot Ninjas ever spoke to them. Why was that? Was it because they had to keep up the ninja charade, or was it because they were anti-social?

Before Mikey could ponder this, he heard Raphael shout, "Leo!" The orange-clad Turtle disposed of his opponent and looked over at Raph. Then he spotted Leo lying on the ground. Mikey frantically ran to where Leo was, but before any of them could reach him, the Foot Elite appeared, blocking their path.

"Get out of the way!" Raph snarled. His tone implied that if they wouldn't get out of the way, he would make them move.

The Elite Ninjas said nothing and just stared at them. Then one of them picked Leo up and disappeared in a puff of smoke. The other Elite Ninjas blocked the Turtles' attempts to try and rescue their brother. The Turtles tried in vain to fight back, but it was impossible as they were distracted by their worry for their brother. The Elite Ninjas knocked them down and disappeared before the Turtles could do anything.

"Come back here!" Raph yelled. He tried to go after the Foot Ninjas, but Don held him back.

"Raph, don't," the purple-clad Turtle commanded. "There's nothing we can do now."

Raph rounded on Donatello. "They took our brother, Donnie!" he cried. "We gotta go after them and get him back!"

"Not without a plan," Don pointed out. "If we go in there now, the Foot will wipe us out. We need to go home and figure out an effective plan. You know Leo would do the same for any of us."

Mikey was watching them apprehensively, wondering what Raph was going to do. He sighed in relief when Raph's expression softened.

"Yeah, you're right," the red-clad Turtle said softly. "We can't just go stormin' into this. Leo wouldn't want that. Let's go home and figure it out."

With sadness in their hearts, the three brothers headed home, dreading their father's reaction to the news that their blue-clad brother was missing. Yet they knew that if it had been any of them who were missing, Leo would have formed a strategic plan to rescue them. Still, they felt a lot of anxiety about what the Foot could be doing to him. They didn't want him to die, and they were afraid that if they wasted too much time, he would be dead before they could rescue him.

As they entered the Lair, they were greeted by their father who was sitting in his chair. His eyes lit up when he saw them but clouded in worry when he saw that Leonardo was not among them.

"My sons, what happened?" he asked.

"The Foot ambushed us," Raph answered. "They took Leo."

"We knew that if any of us were missing, Leo try to come up with a plan to rescue us," Don added. "That's why we came home."

"That is very true," Splinter agreed. "It would not be wise to go into this unprepared."

"So what should we do?" Mikey asked.

"There is nothing we can do tonight," Splinter replied. "We should get some rest and start thinking of what to do tomorrow."

Mikey didn't like that suggestion, and he knew his brothers didn't either. They needed to work on a plan now, or Leo would be a goner.

"I'll call April tomorrow and tell her what's happened," Don said. "I know she may not be able to come, but maybe she can still help."

"Well, Casey won't be able to help us," Raph grumbled. "He's at the farm with his mom."

"Maybe we shouldn't tell April," Mikey suggested. "She's got enough to worry about with her sister in the hospital. She doesn't need any more stress." April's sister had been involved in a car accident a few days ago, and April was with her to help out.

"Look, I'll call her to see how Robyn is first," Don replied. "If she's better, then I'll tell April about Leo. If she isn't, then I'll just wait until things improve. Raph, you should still call Casey and see if he can come home."

"And if he can't?" Raph inquired.

"Then I guess we'll have to wait until he does," Don said. As Raph gave him a dirty look, he added, "It's better to have as much backup as we can. April and Casey can help us rescue Leo. We can't do this on our own."

"What about the Justice Force?" asked Mikey. "Could they help?"

"We shouldn't need them for the initial rescue," replied Don. "However, it would be good to have some spies to see what the Foot have planned. Go ahead and contact them, Mikey."

"What do you mean, my son?" asked Splinter.

"We know that Foot Ninjas are patrolling at night," explained Don. "More than likely, they'll be bragging about Leo's capture. The Justice Force can spy on them and get news about Leo. That way we'll know if he's okay."

"Don, I could beat them up to find that out," pointed out Raph.

"True, but they'll be expecting that," responded Don. "They won't be expecting members of the Justice Force to spy on them."

"I see where you're comin' from, but they ain't ninjas like us," said Raph. "The Foot would spot 'em easily."

"Not all of them would be there," said Mikey. "Silver Sentry can just fly above and listen to them. All he needs is something to pick up on conversations like a chip that has a microphone."

"I don't have anything like that, Mikey," said Don.

"No, but Silver Sentry does," answered Mikey. "They've been developing a lot of gadgets for us to use. Maybe he can even lend us some so we can patrol too. What do you think?" He was curious to see what his brothers thought of the idea. He just wanted to do something to help with the rescue effort.

"You know, that sounds like a good idea," mused Raph. "I say we go for it."

"So do I," agreed Don. "Maybe I can get some ideas from Silver Sentry for my own inventions."

"I think it is a wonderful idea, Michelangelo," praised Splinter. "Perhaps this will help us find Leonardo sooner. I am proud that all of you are working as a team. Now, I suggest that we all get some rest and prepare for tomorrow."

"Yes, Master Splinter," said the Turtles. They bowed to him, and he returned the gesture. Then they watched as their father returned to his private chamber.

Raphael stretched and yawned. "Well, I'm hittin' the sack," he said. "See you guys in the mornin'."

"Goodnight, Raph," said Mikey and Don as they headed to their rooms.

As Mikey entered his room, he was greeted by Klunk, who had been napping on Mikey's bed. The orange-clad Turtle picked his cat up and began stroking his fur. Klunk responded with purrs as he closed his eyes in contentment. Mikey sat down in his bean bag chair with Klunk in his arms.

"Life sucks, Klunk," he told his cat. "We went on patrol tonight and got ambushed by the Foot. Leo's missing, and we have to find a way to get him back. I'm scared our plan isn't gonna work. I mean, that could be a big possibility, right? So, what if it goes wrong? What will we do then?"

"Meow," Klunk said, rubbing his head against Mikey's hand.

"Yeah, you're right, Klunk," Mikey said as he scratched his cat's ears. "I can't just wallow in self-pity. I have to stay strong and do what I can for Leo. He'd want that."

With this aim in mind, Mikey decided to e-mail Silver Sentry to let him know what was going on and what needed to be done. After he did that, he decided to browse some websites devoted to The Justice Force to take his mind off things. He found a site devoted to him and quickly clicked on it. He saw pictures of himself, some of them drawn by fans. There were stories written about him and even discussions about how cool he was. Mikey couldn't believe that people admired him so much. It made him feel good to know that people thought he was someone special and not a freak of nature.

A knock on his door startled Mikey, and he quickly closed the site and turned off the computer. He knew it was either Don or Splinter since Raph usually barged in, and Leo wasn't there, though he always knocked before entering any of their rooms.

"Michelangelo, are you all right?" Splinter asked.

"I guess so," Mikey answered.

"May I come in?"

"Sure, Sensei," Mikey replied. He watched as his father opened the door and noticed that his face was drawn into a look of concern. He knew Splinter wasn't only worried about Leo but also about the three of them. He tried to put himself in Splinter's place and imagined how he'd feel. He knew it had to be horrible for Splinter, and he knew that he'd feel the same way if he had a child who was missing.

"Are you okay, Sensei?" asked Mikey.

"I am worried about your brother, but other than that, I am fine," replied the rat. "But I know that you are not all right, despite the fact that you say you are. You are distressed about your brother and feel helpless because you cannot do anything just yet. You also feel guilty about his capture as though it is your fault."

Mikey wasn't surprised by this. Splinter was very good at reading their feelings, and it was hard to keep anything from him. Even Raphael, who guarded his emotions very carefully, couldn't hide the truth from the Master. It was a gift the Turtles often thought of as a blessing and a curse depending on how it was used.

"Yeah, I do feel guilty," Mikey said. "I wanted to play ninja tag instead of just patrolling. If I hadn't suggested that, Leo wouldn't have gotten attacked."

Splinter put a paw on his son's shoulder. "It is not your fault, Michelangelo," he said gently. "You did not know what would happen when you went out tonight. Even if you had not suggested the game, Leonardo still could have been attacked. Do not blame yourself for his capture. Just focus on rescuing him."

Mikey nodded. He knew Splinter was right, but he couldn't help feeling a little guilty about it. "I e-mailed Silver Sentry and let him know what was going on," he reported. "Hopefully he'll get back to me soon."

Splinter nodded. "A very wise decision, my son," he said. "Perhaps Silver Sentry can aid us in the search for your brother."

"I hope so, Sensei," said Mikey softly. "I feel so helpless right now."

Splinter squeezed his son's shoulder gently. "I know, my son," he said. "We are all feeling that way right now. All we can do right now is keep waiting and hoping that your brother is safe. I have faith that we will rescue him soon."

Mikey couldn't help but trust his father's words. Splinter was always so in tune with his sons that he could read their emotions easily. He had a sixth sense and would be the first to know if anything happened to Leo. Mikey also knew that Splinter would make sure they rescued Leo no matter what. He remembered the time that Bishop had tried to dissect him and how Splinter had come to his aid. If someone messed with Leo, Splinter would fight the antagonist to the death if necessary.

Splinter yawned. "Well, I suppose it is time for bed," he said. "I was just making sure you were all right. Your other brothers seem distracted. Donatello is in his lab, and Raphael is in his room using the punching bag."

Mikey nodded. He could understand that. His eyes traveled to the new comic book on his nightstand. He thought about reading more of it before he went to sleep. Maybe that would keep away the nightmares.

"I suspect you will be reading your new comic book before retiring for the night?" inquired Splinter, seeing where his son's gaze had traveled.

"Yeah, I was thinking about it," replied Mikey. "I figure that maybe it'll help prevent bad dreams."

"Perhaps it will," said Splinter. "I will meditate a bit to help me clear my thoughts."

"Will you look for Leo again?" asked Mikey.

Splinter shook his head. "No, my son," he said. "I will do that tomorrow. I fear that if I attempt it again, I will be plagued by nightmares when I sleep."

"But what if you get a feeling that Leo's trying to reach out to you?" persisted Mikey.

"Then I will try and connect with him," answered Splinter. "I will reassure him that we will rescue him once we gain our allies again."

Mikey nodded again. He really hoped April and Casey would return soon so they could get to Leo before anything happened to him. He said goodnight to his father and watched Splinter leave his room. Then he turned on his bedside lamp, turned out his light, and began to read his newest comic book until he grew tired and went to sleep.

22222

Two months passed with no luck of rescuing Leo. April and Casey still hadn't come back, and the Justice Force had no leads either, even though they'd patrolled the skies at Mikey's request. Mikey feared that his brothers would get angry at him for this, but they didn't. Raph even patted Mikey on the shell and said that he did the best he could. That meant a lot to Mikey, and he felt better about his decision to include the Justice Force.

Mikey was flipping through channels when Don's Shell Cell went off. He listened as Don talked to whoever was on the other end. Likely it was Leatherhead calling about some experiment. But then Don ran out of his lab with an excited look on his face.

"Guys, April's back!" he exclaimed. "She's coming down here to work on a plan to get Leo back!"

Mikey jumped to his feet. "All right!" he cried. Then he hurried upstairs to Raph's room to tell him the news. He burst into Raph's room without knocking, something that his brother wasn't happy about.

"Jeez, Mikey, can't you knock?" Raph complained.

"Dude, April's back," Mikey replied. "She's coming down to plan a way to get Leo back. See if you can reach Casey."

Raph went to his Shell Cell and dialed Casey's number. Mikey waited until Raph gave him the thumbs up to indicate that Casey was there. Mikey jumped up in the air and yelled to indicate his joy. Raph shushed him and let Casey know what was going on. After a brief conversation, Raph reported to Mikey that Casey was back from the farmhouse and would be coming down to help them set up a plan.

Mikey and Raph went down to talk to Don and Splinter while they waited for April and Casey. All of them were happy that there was now a chance to rescue Leo and bring him home. Splinter had meditated to try and connect with Leo's mind and had felt a flicker of Leo's aura, which meant that he was alive. Mikey felt better about this, but he was afraid that they would be too late even if he was alive right now. Before he could voice his concern, the Lair door opened, and April and Casey came in.

April ran to them and threw her arms around each of them. "Oh, it's so good to see you guys," she said. "I just wish we could have gotten here after it happened."

"Yeah, we're sorry, guys," Casey apologized. "We pretty much suck as friends."

"No, you don't," Mikey told them. "It wasn't your fault. Both of you had to take care of family. You didn't know this would happen. The main thing is that you're here now and we can get Leo back."

"Yeah, now we can go kick some shell," said Raph, punching a fist inside his palm.

So they began formulating a plan. Donatello had learned that Karai was going to Japan to have a memorial for her father and had left already. Although Raph was disappointed he wouldn't be able to kill Karai himself, it was good that they wouldn't have to deal with her. On the other hand, it was still going to be hard because of all the Foot Ninjas they'd still have to face. The Turtles insisted that Casey stay in the Lair, but he wanted to come along and help. April reassured them that she'd be okay and that she could fight any Foot Ninjas who came into the Lair. They wanted Splinter to stay behind, but he demanded that he be allowed to go, too, and none of the Turtles objected to it once he made his suggestion.

When they felt it was the right time to set out, they made sure they had everything they needed in order to carry out their plan. Mikey was nervous but also anxious about what they would find when they got to Foot Headquarters. Would Leo still be alive by then, or would they have to carry his body home with them? He shook his head to rid himself of the negative thoughts. He didn't need to think like that. Leo wouldn't want them to give up hope.

The invasion of the Foot Headquarters wasn't easy, but thanks to Don's and April's skills, it was able to happen. Mikey's nerves were high as they made their way through the building. Foot Ninjas blocked their way, and the battle began. Mikey knew this would happen, but he was ready to fight. A rage he had never had before welled up within him. Usually anger was Raph's department, but Mikey knew all of them were prone to it at certain times. He fought hard, his nunchucks a blur as he battled every Foot Ninja who came his way. He even had the idea for them to use their chi powers to help them in the battle. His brothers agreed and did just what the Ninja Tribunal had taught them to aid them in the battle.

As they made their way further into the building, they started to get tired. Splinter urged them not to give up and told them that they were close to Leo. His words steeled their resolve, and they continued to battle for their brother. They finally reached the room where their brother was held, and the sight that met their eyes was shocking. Leo was chained to the wall with bruises and cuts on his body. His body was limp, and the Turtles weren't sure if he was still alive.

Mikey was sick to his stomach but fought the feeling. He couldn't lose his lunch now because he had to fight. He saw Raph leap into the fray, bowling over Foot Ninjas with Casey's help. Mikey saw no more as he was engaged in battle by at least five Foot Ninjas. He managed to defeat them but was met with another group. How were they ever going to escape this? He could hear Raph trying to free Leo but couldn't see if he was successful or not.

Then Raph was able to free Leo. They used smoke bombs to fend off the Foot Ninjas and escape. Don had invented the smoke bombs so that they would last longer than the regular smoke bombs. Casey wasn't too enthused with this plan, but it worked nonetheless. Mikey couldn't believe that they had rescued Leo. As they made their way back to the Battle Shell, Mikey was shaking with terror whenever he looked at Leo.

They hurried back to the Lair and rushed Leo into the infirmary. April had been informed by Don that Leo had been rescued, but she was still shocked when they came to treat Leo. She followed them and helped Don as he got Leo settled in. Mikey was worried as he looked on. There wasn't anything for him to do except wait to see if his brother would wake up. That was going to be the hard part.

April and Casey went home at Donatello's insistence. He promised to let them know if Leo woke up or if he took a turn for the worse. The Turtles were deciding who would take the first watch when Splinter declared that he would be the one to watch over Leo first. The Turtles decided that would be best even though they all wanted to watch over their brother. They arranged for Raphael to watch him next, then Mikey, and last would be Don. Splinter would wake Raph after two hours so that he could take his watch. With this agenda in mind, the three Turtles headed to their rooms to try and get some sleep.

Mikey tried to sleep but kept waking up in anticipation of his watch. When Raph came in to wake Mikey, the orange-clad Turtle looked at his brother with a question in his eyes. Raph told him there was no change and went to his room while Mikey went downstairs. As the orange-clad Turtle entered the infirmary, he tried to hold his tears back. He sat in the chair by Leo's bedside and took his brother's hand. Tears filled his eyes as he looked at his brother's broken form. He talked to Leo and begged him to come back, telling him what life would be like without him and how sad everyone would be. He thought Leo would respond to his voice as he had once before, but nothing happened. After two hours, Mikey woke Don and went back to his room.

As each day passed with no change, Mikey began to doubt that Leo would wake up. He hated to think like that, but it was hard to have any hope left when things didn't change.

They were all gathered in the infirmary one day, hoping that their presence would bring Leo back. The waiting was hard, but they had no other options.

Mikey saw his brother twitch. "Is he awake yet?" he asked hopefully. Maybe Leo would get better after all.

"Not yet," Don replied, though he looked just as hopeful as Mikey that this was a good sign.

"Well, he'd better wake up soon!" Raph growled. "You hear me, Leo? Get your ass up before I make you." The others knew Raph didn't mean it like that and that he really wouldn't hurt Leo that way. He was just impatient for his brother to get better.

Just after he uttered those words, Leo moaned, and his eyes fluttered open. He looked at his brothers curiously as though he wasn't sure he knew them.

Mikey was so happy. "Leo, you're awake!" he cried. He could tell that Leo was confused about something, but they would help him out of that. Leo thought he was dreaming, but they assured him that he was alive. Mikey was a little worried about Leo's confusion. Why would he think that? When Leo revealed that Karai had lied about his brothers being dead, Mikey was angry. But he knew that today was a time for joy, not anger.

Don and Raph left the Lair to see April and Casey to tell them the news while Mikey stayed with Leo. He was so happy his brother was okay he just started chattering about his latest video game. He thought Leo was getting bored, but Leo assured him that he wasn't bored at all. Mikey smiled and continued to talk. Everything was fine now that Leo was awake. They would prevail just as they always did, and Karai would pay once she returned from Japan. There was no way they'd let her get away with what she'd done to Leo. Hopefully, they would finish her, and the Foot would be no more. Then their lives could go back to normal like they had been before the Foot ever existed for them. Mikey smiled at that thought as he talked to Leo and tried to make his brother feel better.

A/N: Wow. That was a long chapter. Sorry for the delay. I promise I will try my best not to leave you guys in suspense like that again. Feel free to leave a review after you've finished reading. Have a shelltastic day.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Technical Difficulties

A/N: Hey, I'm back with the next chapter. I promised you I would finish this story, and I plan to keep my word. I just want to warn you that Donatello is the Turtle I have the most trouble writing for, so he seems off in any way, I apologize in advance. I'll do my best to do him justice. Thanks to those who have read and reviewed thus far. It really means a lot to me that you like this story and the way I've been writing it. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

Donatello picked up a motherboard he'd found at the junkyard. He really hoped he could fix it because then he could have a spare one in case his other one crashed. He studied it carefully to see what needed to be fixed, then picked up a screwdriver and set to work. He narrowed his eyes in concentration as he worked, a look his brothers often teased him for. They called it his "geek face" when they saw him at it. He often ignored them and continued to work. Sometimes his brothers just didn't understand how much he loved to work on things. It made him so happy to be able to take things apart and fix them.

"Donnie, it's time to go on patrol!" Leonardo called, sticking his head in the lab.

"I'll be there in a minute, Leo," Don replied. He sighed in frustration, knowing that he'd have to continue this later. He hated having to give up any of his free time, but this was the lifestyle they had chosen. Don wasn't a bad fighter by any means, but he often wished that their lives didn't revolve around trying to kill others. It just didn't seem right.

The purple-clad Turtle set his work down and got ready to leave. He waited for the others and was ready to go. Splinter wished them well as he always did and expressed a desire to stay up for them. Leo insisted that he didn't need to, but Splinter was adamant about it, so the Turtles knew better than to argue with him.

When they got up to the surface and the rooftops, Leo laid out the game plan. It was just going to be an ordinary patrol for anything suspicious. Then Mikey decided to suggest that they play a game of Ninja Tag. Leo wasn't for it at first, but then Mikey gave the famous puppy dog eyes he was so good at. Don smiled a little in amusement as Mikey worked his charm on his older brother, who eventually gave in. Mikey tagged Leo and then took off running, causing the others to do the same. Then they all split off. Don had fun with this and could see why Mikey really liked playing games. It made things more interesting if you shook things up a bit. Don traveled the rooftops for a little while not encountering anything out of the ordinary. Maybe there wasn't anything going on tonight, which would be a good thing. They'd get through this game and then go home.

Then, Don's Shell Cell went off, causing him to jump in surprise. Raph was calling, which made Don curious. "Hello?" he said.

"Don, we got trouble," Raph said. "Come over to Fifth and Main, now." He said no more as he hung up.

Don was a bit confused. What sort of trouble? Had Raph initiated it? He quickly put this Shell Cell away and hurried to the destination. He only hoped everything would be okay.

When he reached Fifth and Main, he soon saw what was wrong. Foot Ninjas were attacking them. Don immediately went into the fray, his bo staff twirling at a dangerous speed. More ninjas were upon him as soon as he dispatched of others, but he met them head on. He looked for his brothers and saw Raph and Mikey fighting a group of their own. He could tell they were talking, though he couldn't make out what was being said. Why was it that they could talk and fight at the same time like that? Weren't they worried about paying attention? Don snapped out of these thoughts as more ninjas descended on him. He couldn't afford to go into one of his daydreams now. Time was of the essence.

He was so busy fighting, he became startled when Raph called Leo's name. He sounded panicked, and that was enough to alert Don that something wasn't right. The purple-clad Turtle hurried to Leo's side, along with his brothers. Leo was lying on the ground, not moving. Instinct told Don to get over there and check his vitals, but before he could even do that, the Foot Elite appeared. They stared at the Turtles for a short minute and then engaged them. One of the Elites picked up Leo and disappeared before any of them could blink. The three Turtles tried to go after him, but the others blocked their way. Don continued to fight alongside his brothers and was determined to do anything he could to get Leo back. His focus began to waver as thoughts of what could possibly happen to Leo filled his mind as well as memories of another ambush where Leo almost didn't make it. The Elite managed to knock them all down and then disappeared. Raph made to go after them, but Don held him back, something only Leo would do.

"Raph, don't!" Don commanded. "We have to come up with a plan first."

Raph wasn't listening to Don. "Those bastards took our brother, Donnie!" he yelled. "We hafta go after them and get him back!"

"Not without a plan," Don insisted. "You know that if any of us were missing, Leo would make sure he had a plan to rescue us." Although Don was a strategist in some ways, he wasn't as good as Leo. He knew they needed to come up with a plan, but what that plan was, he had no idea.

Raph's face softened, and he conceded that Don was right. Brokenhearted, the three Turtles headed home and broke the news to their father. Splinter was saddened to hear the news, but he was glad to hear that the Turtles were working on a plan. Don said he would call April in the morning and talk to her about what happened. Even though her sister was in a car accident, she deserved to know about this. Mikey suggested using the Justice Force as spies, and Don figured that would be a good idea, so he told Mikey to do it. He figured they would need all the help they could get with this.

Once they had the basics laid out, Don headed to his lab to see if he could do any research. His eyes traveled to the motherboard he had originally been working on before all of this had happened. "Looks like this is going to take a backseat," he said dejectedly as he put the motherboard to the side. He had no time for his inventions or repairs now. He had a brother to rescue. He thought about trying to hack into the Foot's security base. Last time, April had helped with that, but Don wanted to see if he could do it himself. He typed in some words to see if he could do a search, but all that came up were foot doctors and ways of treating foot pain. How had April managed to do this? He decided to ask her once he called her so that he could at least get a lead.

There was a knock on his door, and Splinter voice said, "Are you all right, Donatello?"

"Yeah, Sensei, I'm fine," Don lied. He was far from fine at the moment. He didn't even know where to start on rescuing their brother, and he knew that one mistake could cost Leo his life, if he wasn't dead already. A shudder ran through Don as he imagined all that could happen to his brother. Would the Foot keep him alive, or would they kill him instantly and put his body somewhere for the others to find?

"May I come in?" Splinter asked.

"Sure, Master Splinter," Don replied and opened the door for him. He never allowed anyone in his lab without permission, a fact that his father knew all too well. There were just too many valuable tings here that he liked to work on. How many times had Mikey broken an experiment because of his curiosity?

Splinter entered the room and sat in another chair that Don had. "I see you have been working hard," he commented. "I know that you are anxious about your brother and want to help him, but do not want you to tire yourself out. Make sure that you get some rest, Donatello."

"Don't worry, Master, I'll make sure I get some sleep," Don replied. He knew he'd be no use to anyone if he stayed up late again He could almost hear Leo's voice chastising him to get some sleep. Don remembered many nights when Leo would come in and tell Don to sleep when he caught him having a late night in his lab. Don smiled at the memory, but then his smile faded. Who would do that if Leo was gone? No, he couldn't think like that right now. Leo would want him to be strong for his brothers.

"What are you thinking of, my son?" Splinter inquired.

"Nothing much," Don replied. "Just thinking about how Leo would chew me out for staying up late."

Splinter chuckled. "Yes, he often would be concerned about you," he recalled. "I feel that he would still be concerned about you now."

"I know he would, Sensei, but I also know that Leo wouldn't give up if we were missing," Don replied. "I have to do this for him. I have to try and rescue him."

The rat put a paw on his son's shoulder. "I know how you feel, Donatello," he said gently. "You strive to do what your brother would do in a situation like this and feel that if you fail, you have failed him. Do not be discouraged, my son. Do your best. I have faith that you will do well and that we will rescue him. Just try not to stay up too late."

"I'll do my best, Sensei," Don promised. That was all he could give his father at the moment.

Splinter seemed to accept that and smiled at his purple-clad son. "That is good," he said. "I will be checking on your other brothers and then I will go to bed myself. Perhaps I will meditate to clear my thoughts for the night."

"Sounds like a good plan, Sensei," Don replied. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Yes, I will see you in the morning. Good night, Donatello."

"Good night, Sensei." After Splinter left, Don continued to try and hack into the Foot's security with no luck. Deciding to leave this for tomorrow, he turned off his computer and tried to meditate himself, thinking that maybe it would help him. But each time he tried, he couldn't get rid of the thoughts that plagued him. Leo was so much better at it than any of them because he had more patience with it. Sighing, he went to his bed and lay down, hoping that he would get some sleep soon. He really needed to be in top form if he was going to rescue Leo.

22222

The next day, Don called April after practice. He was hoping she would be there and would answer her phone. Before she'd left for her sister's, she'd promised that her phone would be on at all times when she wasn't in the hospital and that Don could reach her at any time. And if she was in the hospital, he could always leave a message. He took a deep breath as he dialed the familiar number. Anxiety filled his chest as the phone rang, and Don feared he'd have to leave a message. But then he heard someone pick up, and his heart leaped. She was there.

"Hello?" April's voice said.

"April, it's Don," Don replied. "How's Robyn doing?"

"She's doing much better," April answered. "The doctors say she'll be able to go home soon, but she still needs therapy. I'm going to have to stay longer so that I can take care of her. Is everything okay?"

Don could hear the concern in her voice, and it made him feel guilty. She was already going through so much, and now she had to hear that one of her friends was missing. "No, it's not," he answered. "We were on patrol and got ambushed by the Foot. They took Leo, and we have no way of finding him right now. I've been trying to hack into the Foot's security systems, but I can't do it!" His last sentence ended on a plaintive note and a question as to what he should do next.

"Don, calm down," April soothed. "I'll try and come back as soon as I can and help you out."

"But what about now?" Don asked. "We don't have time to really wait. They could be killing Leo or hurting him. He could be dead already. Don't you see how we're suffering here?"

"Yes, and I'm sorry, Don," April replied. "I really wish I could be there, but I can't do anything. What about Casey? Is he back from the farmhouse?"

Don shook his head. "No, he hasn't come back yet," he replied. "There's just no way to get into Foot Headquarters by ourselves. We need you."

"Don, I really wish I could help." He could hear the guilt in her voice and knew that she'd give anything to help them out. She was caught in a position that made it impossible for her to do anything for them. It wasn't her fault, but Don couldn't help but be angry at her and at her sister. If Robyn hadn't gotten into an accident, none of this would've happened.

"I understand, April," Don said stiffly. "Let me know when you get back. I'll handle things until then and see what I can do until you come back. We've got some spies that might help, but I just don't know how good it's going to be. I'm just worried, April."

"I know you are, and I am, too," she said gently. "Just do the best you can. I have faith in you, Donnie. I know you can do whatever you set your mind to. Just stay strong, okay?"

"I'll do my best," Don promised. "I'll talk to you later, April. I know you have to get to the hospital to see your sister. I'm glad she's okay."

"Thanks," she said. "Give the others my love. I'll try and come home soon. Bye."

"Bye," Don replied. After he heard the click, he shut his phone off. He knew it was a lost cause now. There was no way they'd be able to wait until April and Casey got back. By then, Leo could be dead. With a sigh, he relayed the news to his brothers, expecting them to be as angry as he was, but they weren't.

"Man, that sucks, but what can you do?" Mikey declared. "Family comes first. I know April would be here if she could, Donnie. She wouldn't just bail on us."

"Yeah, the same goes for Casey," Raph added. "I know he wants to be here. I've been keepin' him updated on this, and he said he's not sure when he's comin' back. His mom wants to stay there for a few more days."

"You have done all you can, Donatello," Splinter soothed him. "Miss O'Neil will come back when she is ready to do so. Her obligation to us is admirable, and I know she will do all she can to return to us soon. For now, we must just proceed as planned with the spies from the Justice Force. They may prove useful."

"You're right, Sensei," said Don. "I guess we just need to go ahead and do what we need to do."

22222

Two months passed, and it looked like they had no leads. Although the Justice Force did all they could to help, they barely got any leads and had few opportunities to use their equipment on any of the Foot Ninjas. The Turtles and their father were about to give up in despair of ever finding Leo. Don knew he'd done a horrible job of trying to form a plan. He was just wasn't good at it.

He was working on the motherboard again because he'd pretty much given up attempts to hack into the Foot's security base. His face was once again fixed in concentration as it had been the night when their world had been turned upside down. He was just on the point of putting in a new screw when his Shell Cell rang. He was a bit confused as to who could be calling, but he figured maybe it was Leatherhead. He picked up the phone, and his heart leapt when he saw that April was calling.

"Hey, April, what's going on?" Don asked when he picked up the phone. "Is everything okay with Robyn?"

"Everything's fine, Don," she replied. "I'm back in the city and ready to help you get Leo back."

"You are?" Don repeated. "That's great! I'm so glad you've come back."

"Me, too," April agreed. "I'll be down shortly so we can start planning. See you in a few."

"Okay, see you then," Don replied. Then he ran out of his lab and shouted the news to his brothers. Mikey was ecstatic and hurried to tell Raph the news. When they came downstairs, they reported that Casey was also coming to help out since he was home. It made Don feel better to know that their friends were finally going to come and help. He only hoped that they weren't too late to save their brother.

When April and Casey came to the Lair, they apologized for taking so long to come and help. The Turtles accepted their apology without question and said that it wasn't their fault. Then they began to formulate a plan that would save Leo. April showed Don how to hack into the security base, and they began to discuss ways of getting in and then getting out. Don's confidence began to grow, and he felt that Leo would be proud of him for doing all of this.

As soon as everything was put in place, the Turtles, Splinter, and Casey left the Lair to go and get Leo. The tension was high, but thanks to Don's and April's technical skills, they were able to make it into the building with no trouble. They encountered quite a few Foot Ninjas and began to battle. There was just no way they were going to let anything stop them. Don's bo twirled with precision as he kept striking his opponents. Just when he thought they would have a break, more kept coming. It was getting harder and harder to keep up and to keep these enemies at bay. Then Mikey suggested they use their chi to try and force them away. Although it was something they hadn't tried since the defeat of the Tengu Shredder, they decided it would be a good idea and did just that. Sure enough, things became easier after that, and they were able to get into the room where Leo was being held.

When they encountered Leo, shock filled them. He was chained to a wall, his body limp. A lump came to Don's throat at the sight of his battered and bruised older brother. Was he dead already? And if so, why hadn't the Foot removed him from the wall? There was no time to contemplate this as Raph leapt into the fray of Foot Ninjas guarding their brother. Don and Mikey followed suit and disposed of as many Foot Ninjas as they could. Don could hear Raph trying to free Leo and just hoped that Raph would be able to do so soon. Then he heard a cry of triumph, which signaled that Raph had been successful.

Don used some new smoke bombs that would distract the Foot longer than the original ones they had. He had invented them a few weeks ago and was glad he had a chance to use them. They made their way out of the building and into the Battle Shell. As Casey drove, Don checked Leo's vitals and was pleased to see that he was still alive, though barely. He looked really thin as though the Foot had been starving him. Maybe it was an incentive for them to find out the whereabouts of the Lair or something like that, Don mused to himself. He made an assessment of Leo's injuries and surmised that while he was badly hurt, he would make a full recovery if treated properly.

Once they arrived home, they hurried Leo into the infirmary, and Don began treating his brother's wounds. He had various cuts along his body, and some of these looked like they were starting to get infected. Don treated them to the best of his ability and also treated the many bruises his brother had sustained. He just hoped that Leo would wake up and talk to them. Don knew that Leo would also be suffering emotional wounds as well as physical, and it would be hard for him to talk about what happened. He would probably need time to really talk about all of this and get it out.

They arranged to take watches every two hours. Splinter decided on the first watch, then Raph would be second. After him would be Mikey and then Don. After this was settled, Don made his way to his bed to get some sleep. He knew it would be a little while before his first watch, so he resolved to get as much sleep as he could. Surprisingly, he settled into a good sleep and slept until Mikey shook him for his watch. Maybe it was the fact that Leo was home again and that he would likely recover from all of this that let Don fall into a peaceful sleep. As Mikey woke him, Don asked if there was any change in Leo's condition.

Mikey shook his head. "Nope, sorry," he said. "He's still the same."

Don nodded and made his way to the infirmary. He saw his brother lying there and just willed him to wake up. He figured that maybe talking to him would help as it had the last time Leo had been attacked like this. He remembered suggesting this to his family and how Splinter had declared that it was a good idea. He settled himself in the chair by Leo's bedside and took a deep breath.

"Hey, Leo, it's Don," he began. "I don't know if you can hear me, but I just wanted to say that I'm glad you're back with us. We were so worried about you. I know it took us a long time to get you, but don't think that we didn't try to rescue you sooner. We just couldn't with April and Casey not being there. I tried to do all I could to help, Leo. I tried to come up with an effective plan before they got back, but I couldn't do it. We couldn't find any leads no matter how hard we tried. I know you're probably mad at me for not doing well with the plan. I'm just not as good at it like you are. But once you wake up, I'll make it up to you, I promise. Maybe you can even teach me how to do it right. That would be a good thing for me to learn. I just wish you would give me a sign that you can hear me. Just let me know you're still here and that you're on your way back to us. Don't give up, Leo. We need you."

He squeezed his brother's hand to see if he'd squeeze back, but there was no response. Leo just stayed unresponsive. It began to alarm Donatello and made him think that maybe Leo wasn't coming back. Maybe he'd stay in a coma forever. The thought haunted Don, and he almost missed telling Splinter about his next watch. When he went into his father's room to wake him, Splinter put a gentle paw on his son's shoulder as though he could sense the turmoil going on inside of him. Don smiled at his father and left to go back to sleep.

22222

A few days later, they were all gathered in the infirmary, hoping their presence would entice Leo to wake up. Mikey asked anxiously if Leo was awake yet, and Don said, "Not yet." Raph declared that Leo had better wake up soon and even threatened to kick his brother's ass if he didn't. Suddenly, Leo moaned and opened his eyes, confusion on his face. He spoke as though he were surrounded by Foot Ninjas and demanded to know where his brothers were. They reassured him that they were there, but Leo didn't believe them. Splinter reached out and soothed Leo until the confusion left his face. He questioned whether he was dead or not, and they told him that he was alive. Don was a bit confused as to why he would ask that, but then Leo revealed that Karai had told him that the others were dead. It made Don mad to think that Karai would like that to his brother.

Once Leo had calmed down and had finally been reassured that they were okay, Don and Raph left to notify April and Casey of Leo's recovery. April was thrilled and made a promise to visit him later. She hugged Don and told him how proud she was of him for taking the reins and trying his best to save his brother.

"Do you really think I did a good job?" Don asked her.

April nodded. "I think you really did Don," she said. "You really did. I think Leo would be proud of you."

"Thanks, April," Don said gratefully. "That means a lot to me." He left her apartment and headed home, happy that she had so much faith in him. He really did do a good job, and he felt that Leo would be proud of him for stepping up to the plate and doing what he needed to do. Once Leo was healed, they'd talk about it, and maybe he'd hear the words that he'd been longing to hear after Leo got back. All that mattered now was that Leo got better and that they made the Foot pay for what they'd done to their brother. Don vowed that he would do all he could to make sure Leo was healed no matter what it took. He knew the road to recovery would be a long one for his blue-clad brother, but he would make sure that they were all there for Leo every step of the way. It was the natural thing to do. Donatello knew that he wasn't just the science nerd or the doctor anymore. He could be a leader when he needed to be, and even though he'd never want to take on the post permanently, he was happy that he'd been able to accomplish the task in a thorough way. That was all that mattered to him, and he carried that confidence for days to come.

A/N: Well, that's the end of the Donatello chapter. I'm actually quite pleased with how this turned out, and I really hope you liked it, too. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day. Raph's chapter will be up next.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Rage Against the Foot

A/N: So, here I am again with another chapter. The good thing is that I won't keep you hanging for a whole year this time. Now, we're going to explore Raph's side of things and how Leo's capture affected him. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I'm going to enjoy posting it. Thanks a million to all those who have read and reviewed so far. It means a lot to me that you really like this story and are willing to stick this out. And for my long-time readers, I'm glad you aren't mad at me for the long delay I had between chapters.

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

Raphael was sitting in his room watching a DVD. He was trying to contemplate one of the greatest mysteries of wrestling: Was John Cena really a good wrestler or just a robot with a limited set of moves? He had borrowed one of Mikey's John Cena DVDs to ponder this mystery. It's not that Raph totally hated Cena like some fans did. He just wasn't as fond of him as so many others were. He admitted that Cena had talent but that it was wasted on his limited use of moves. Why was it that he only had a couple moves to his name?

Just as Raph was really starting to crack the mystery of John Felix Anthony Cena Jr. Leo came upstairs and called, "Raph, it's time to go on patrol! Come down!"

Raph sighed. Why did Leo always have to be a slave driver? Why couldn't he just lighten up and let everyone have fun? He stopped the DVD and put it back in its case. If he ruined it, Mikey would surely get revenge by pulling another prank on him, and Raph didn't want that. He'd had enough of Mikey's creative pranks. Then he donned his gear and went downstairs where the others were waiting for him.

Splinter wished them well just as he always did and even expressed his wish to wait up for them. Leo tried to shoot that down at once, but the sensei insisted on staying up for them anyway. Even though Raph was often rebellious, even he knew that you couldn't argue with Splinter. He would always stay up until all of his sons came home, a fact Raph knew only all too well from his own late night outings. He even learned not to get drunk while out after the stern lecture Splinter gave him about alcohol consumption after one of his outings with Casey. Raph had protested, "But Casey dared me to get drunk!" to which Splinter had responded, "And you were foolish enough to take such a dare instead of refusing. What if you had been attacked by the Foot while on this outing and in such an inebriated state?" At which point, Raph had hung his head in shame and had promised never to drink alcohol while out with Casey.

After they said goodbye to their father, the Turtles went to the surface, and Leo gave them very explicit directions of what they'd be doing. Raph couldn't help but roll his eyes in annoyance at Leo's very bossy tone. He always had to act like the strict schoolteacher when it came to patrol. He really needed to lighten up a little bit more. Raph snapped out of his thoughts when Mikey suggested they play a game of ninja tag. Leo was against it until Mikey begged with his puppy dog eyes. Raph couldn't help but smirk at that. How many times had he been subjected to those eyes and had given in to Mikey's pleas to play a video game or take part in a joint prank on their brothers? Finally, Leo gave in.

Mikey grinned and tagged his big brother. "You're it!" he called and then ran away from them. Leo gave chase, and the others followed. Then they all decided to split off from one another and go their separate ways.

Raph was excited as he ran away, hoping that he'd run into something exciting while on this little adventure. Soon, he heard Leo giving chase and decided to humor his older brother. "Let's see if you can catch me this time, asswipe!" he teased as he leapt over a rooftop. Just as he predicted, Leo continued to chase him, determined to prove himself to his hotheaded brother. It was always a competition between the two brothers to see who was better than the other at something. More often than not, Leo won, but there were times where Raph beat his older brother, though not many.

Just as he was approaching Fifth and Main, something caught his eye. Was that a Foot Ninja running across the rooftops? He leapt to the rooftop but didn't see anything. Maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him. Leo caught up to him and was about to tag him when he spotted the Foot Ninjas on the roof across from them.

"This can't be good," Leo muttered.

Sure enough, the Foot Ninjas spotted the Turtles and immediately surrounded them. The brothers pulled out their weapons and engaged in battle. At first, Raph thought it would be a routine fight between their foes, but soon the tables turned as more Foot Ninjas appeared. He could see that Leo was getting tense and knew his brother was thinking back to the last time he'd been ambushed by Foot Ninjas. But this time was different because Raph had his back now.

Knowing that they were in over their heads, Leo cried, "Raph, call Mikey and Don! Tell them we need them now!"

Raph was very thankful that Don had programmed the phones so that they each had a speed dial button because he wasn't sure if he would've been able to dial the normal way. He contacted his brothers and told them what was going on. Both Mikey and Don promised they would be there soon, and Raph managed to avoid a Ninja who was aiming straight for him. He was lucky because if the Ninja had struck him, he probably would've damaged Raph's Shell Cell.

Sure enough, Don and Mikey arrived to help out. Raph smirked as he saw Mikey battling some Foot Ninjas. "Glad you could join us, Mikey," he teased.

"Me, too," Mikey agreed. "So, any idea where these guys came from?"

Raph shook his head. "Nope," he said. "Leo was chasin' me, and they suddenly just appeared outta nowhere." He continued to deflect attacks, hoping that the Foot would just give up. But then again, that wasn't their style. More attacks kept coming, and Raph was getting worried that they wouldn't be able to hold them off much longer. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Leo suddenly collapse to the ground.

"Leo!" he yelled. Something definitely wasn't right, and he tried to get to his brother to see if he was okay, but he was blocked by the Foot Elite. His other brothers stood beside him, wondering why the Foot Elite were blocking Leo.

Rage filled Raph's eyes as he stared into the red eyes of the Foot Elite in front of him. "Get out of the way," he growled lowly, implying that if the Elite didn't get out of the way, there would be trouble. He wasn't about to let them hurt Leo again. Not like last time.

The Elite didn't answer Raph but just kept on staring. One of the Elite Ninjas picked Leo up and disappeared with him. On instinct, Raph and the others tried to fight to get Leo back, but it was no use. The Elite wouldn't let them get by, and they were much stronger than the Turtles anyway. They were knocked back by the Elite and watched as the Elite disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Raph growled and leapt to his feet. "Get back here!" he yelled. He made to go after them, but Donatello held him back.

"Raph, don't!" the purple-clad Turtle warned as he forcibly restrained his brother.

Raph rounded on his brother. "Those bastards took our brother, Donnie!" he yelled. "We have to go and get him back!"

"Not without a plan," Don replied. "You know that if any of us were in trouble, Leo would come up with a plan to rescue us. We need to do the same for him."

Raph was surprised that Don was taking charge in this instance. Normally, he let Leo do the leading and just offered his advice when he felt it was needed. But since Leo wasn't here, and Raph wasn't making things easy by trying to be rash, Don had to take it upon himself to be the voice of reason. Raph's face softened at Don's words, and he sagged a little in defeat. "Yeah, you're right," he said softly. "I guess we'd better go home and see what we can do to get Leo back."

Dejectedly, the Turtles headed back to the Lair to tell their father the news about Leo's capture. Although Raph knew Don was right about needing to come up with a plan, he couldn't help but feel that they were wasting their time waiting around for a plant to materialize in front of them. While they tried to come up with something, who knew what would happen to Leo in the meantime. Would the Foot keep him alive, or would they kill him instantly as a way of sending a message to his family? Trying to repress a shudder at the thought, Raph tried to keep his face stoic. He knew that he had to step up to the plate now that Leo was gone and that he had to be brave for his brothers no matter how he truly felt.

As expected, Splinter was alarmed when he found out that his oldest son had been captured. He suggested that they come up with a plan to rescue Leo and execute it as soon as possible. Don said he would call April and tell her the news. Raph decided to call Casey the same day and see if he could come back to New York to help them out. The Turtles knew they couldn't get into the Foot Headquarters alone, and they would need their friends' help to rescue their brother. Raph wasn't sure if Casey would be able to come, but he would do all he could to try and persuade him. Mikey suggested using the Justice Force as spies. Raph didn't think it was a good idea, but Don explained that it would be best to find out as much information as possible in a short span of time.

Splinter suggested that they all get some rest and prepare for the plan tomorrow. The Turtles headed upstairs, but once he was in his room, Raph didn't lay down on his bed. Instead, he took his frustrations of the night out on his trusty punching bag that he'd set up in his room. The bag was pretty worn out by now, but Raph didn't care. As he punched and kicked, he imagined the bag to be a Foot Ninja or a Foot Elite. His punches and kicks became more rapid as he continued to vent his frustrations. His mind settled on the last time Leo had been ambushed and wounded by the Foot. Back then, Raph had been helpless in aiding his brother because he hadn't known what was happening to him at the time. But this time, Raph was determined to help Leo in any way he could. He wouldn't let his brother down again.

A knock on his door caused Raph to pause in his workout. He thought that maybe it was Mikey coming to pester him or something, but then he heard his father's voice say, "Raphael, are you all right?"

Raph sighed. "No, not really," he answered.

"May I come in?" his father asked.

"Sure, Sensei," replied Raph. He watched as his father opened his door and came into the room. He noticed that his father's face was full of worry and attributed it to being about Leo and not anyone else. And yet, he knew that Splinter hadn't come to his room just for a casual visit. He had to be worried about each of his sons and wanted to make sure that they were dealing with this in a rational way.

"Raphael, I can sense your frustration and anger at what has transpired tonight," Splinter began. "I know that you are eager to help your brother in any way you can and that you want to help him as soon as possible. However, I do hope that you are not thinking of carrying out your own plan alone. While your concern for your brother's welfare is admirable, it would not do for you to be so rash and impulsive at this time. You all must operate as a team and work as a cohesive unit."

"I wasn't gonna go after them alone," Raph told him. "I know Leo wouldn't want that for me. I'm not gonna look for trouble by myself, Master. I know what would happen if I did do that, and then Leo would chew me out once he got home." He couldn't help but wonder if Leo would ever chew him out for being impulsive ever again. Shaking that thought from his mind, he looked at his father to see what he thought of his words.

Splinter smiled at his second oldest son. "I am proud of your answer, Raphael," he praised him. "You are showing an incredible amount of maturity in your thinking. You now realize what it means to work as a team and not as separate individuals. You have also realized that your brother only has your best interests at heart and that he loves you dearly and does not want to see you come to harm. You must learn to think of what others may feel instead of just thinking of yourself and how you feel. This, I believe, is something you have now learned about yourself and your brother. I am sure Leonardo would be proud of you for learning these things just as I am."

"Yeah, but Leo wouldn't admit it," Raph replied.

"Do not be so quick to judge him, Raphael," Splinter warned him. "Leonardo is often very proud of you and your skills. He has often told me that you are improving immensely and often has asked my opinion of your skills. I believe he has faith that you will be a great second-in-command and could eventually become a leader yourself should the need arise."

Raph couldn't help but snort at that statement. "Look, Sensei, I'm sure Leo was just sayin' that to impress you," he said. "We all know I'd suck as a leader. I'd get all of them killed. I ain't a leader like Leo. He's better at this than me. That's why you chose him, Sensei. You could see it in him more than you could see it in me."

Splinter let out a sigh at his son's words. "Once again, you judge your brother too quickly," he answered. "He was not saying it to just to impress me, as you put it. He really meant what he said. Yes, you do have faults, but so does Leonardo. He knows this as well as we all do, and it sometimes causes him to put burdens on himself when things do not go his way. You and Leonardo are more alike than you care to admit, Raphael. You both are very close to one another, and you both often carry burdens you should not bear. While Leonardo's burdens have to do with protecting his family and living up to a certain standard in his mind, your burdens are about resentment that you will never live up to your brother's level. And while both of you deal with your burdens in different ways, you both do not realize that you could benefit from each other. I am sure once Leonardo is returned to us he will continue to carry the burden of failure from this battle. All I ask of you, Raphael, is that you support him in any way you can and try to help him see that he is not at fault."

"I'll do that, Sensei," Raph answered. "I won't blame him for anythin'. So, do you really think we have a chance of getting him back?"

Splinter nodded. "Yes, I do," he said. "I do not believe the Foot will dispose of him so quickly. Karai is consumed by her hatred of Leonardo and will do all in her power to make sure he suffers as much as she has suffered since her father was exiled."

Raph nodded. It made a lot of sense to him. Karai wouldn't want to kill Leo instantly but would make him suffer. "But, Sensei, that's even worse than a quick death," he mused. "I mean, she's gonna torture him so he'll beg for death. We gotta get him back before that happens. I'm not gonna let the Foot hurt Leo again."

"Yes, I know, Raphael," responded Splinter. "That is why we must think of a plan quickly. I only hope that Miss O'Neil and Mr. Jones will be able to aid us in our rescue effort. We will need all the help we can get. Now, I suggest that you try and get some rest so you will be fresh for tomorrow. I will see you in the morning."

"Okay, Sensei," responded Raph. "I'll see you tomorrow. Good night."

"Good night, my son," Splinter said. Then he rose and exited Raph's room.

The red-clad Turtle waited until he heard his father's footsteps fade then began to cool down after his workout. Splinter's words kept echoing back in his head, and he couldn't help but feel that his father was right. Sure, Leo was sometimes a pain in the shell, but when it came down to it, Leo cared for his brothers and wanted to protect them. In his mind, Leo felt it was his duty to lead his brothers in battle and to please Master Splinter, even though Raph knew that Splinter didn't expect Leo to be perfect. That was just the way Leo was. Raph knew that Leo would beat himself up over this whole ordeal, and he was determined to be there for his brother so he didn't start acting like Raph's evil twin. Smiling at the thought of that, Raph settled down to sleep so he'd be fresh for tomorrow.

22222

The next day, Raph called Casey to see if he could come and help them with the rescue mission. "We need you, Case," he said. "We can't do this by ourselves."

Casey sighed. "I wish I could be there, Raph, but I can't right now," he said regretfully. "Ma's still up here, and she wants to stay a bit longer than I thought. I tried to get her to let me go, but she said she still wanted me to stay with her. I'm sorry, buddy. You know I'd do anything to help you guys out. I'm kind of stuck in a rut here."

"Fine, whatever," Raph growled. "I just thought maybe you'd make an effort to help us out."

"Raph, I want to!" Casey insisted. "I'd give my right arm to help you guys. But you know my mother. She doesn't let anyone off the hook like that. Look, I'll try my best to persuade her to let me leave, but I don't know if it'll work. Just keep in touch and let me know what's goin' on, okay?"

"Okay, I will," Raph promised. He knew his friend really wanted to help, and he could understand where Casey was coming from. Still, it was frustrating to be so helpless.

After Raph hung up, he went downstairs and asked Don what was going on with April. Don reported that April wasn't able to make it because of her sister, which made Raph even angrier than before.

"Dammit, why is this happenin' to us?" he burst out. "Our brother's missin', and our two friends can't even come and help us out! I swear, this world is so fucked up!" He stormed into the dojo and began a fierce workout. Nothing was going right for them, and Raph couldn't help but think that the world was out to get them. He wanted to take action, but they couldn't do this on their own. They needed the help of their friends to get into the Foot Headquarters. Why was everything so complicated?

The day was filled with tension as Don tried to hack into the Foot security himself with no results. April hadn't brought her computer with her, and her sister didn't have Internet so she could give Don the link to hack into the security system. Mikey had enlisted the help of the Justice Force, but they still hadn't gotten any leads either. When night fell, Raph decided to out and blow off some steam. He had the urge to just go to the Foot Headquarters and bust Leo out himself, but he knew how risky that would be. With his luck, he would get captured too, and then they'd have to save two brothers instead of one.

Raph leapt across the rooftops, trying to figure out what they could do for their brother. He stopped a few muggings along the way, which made him feel a little bit better. At least he was doing something productive while the others were just sitting around. He came back home, feeling a little better about things. Splinter was waiting up as usual, and Raph gave him a reassuring smile to indicate that he was okay. Splinter nodded and waited until Raph had gone to bed before retreating to his own chambers.

22222

Two months had passed, and they still hadn't rescued Leo. Raph was beginning to fear that his brother was dead, and that if they did get him out of there, they'd be carrying his dead body. He tried not to think like that, but as time kept passing, he couldn't help but feel that any hope of finding Leo alive was lost. There was no way the Foot would keep him alive that long. Maybe Karai had bided her time, hoping that they would come to rescue their brother so she could enact her revenge on all of them. But since they hadn't come to rescue him, she probably figured that her plan wasn't a success, she had decided to kill Leonardo and wait for his brothers so she could present his dead corpse.

Then, Don came out of his lab after receiving a call from April. She was home and ready to help. Mikey ran up to Raph's room to give him the news and burst in without even knocking.

"Jeez, Mikey, have you ever heard of knockin'?" Raph grumbled. He hated when anyone did that.

"Dude, April's back," Mikey replied, ignoring Raph's question. "See if you can call Casey and get him here."

So Raph dialed Casey, worried that his friend was still in Northampton. Casey answered on the first ring.

"Hey, Casey, are you still at the farm?" Raph asked his friend.

"No, I'm home," Casey answered. "Ma decided to let me come after all. She said she didn't need me anymore and that she could handle stuff on her own. You still need help?"

"Shell yeah, we do," Raph answered. "April's back, too. Why don't you meet us at the Lair so we can get this mission started?"

"Sounds good to me," Casey responded. "See you in a few."

Raph and Mikey hurried downstairs to tell Don and Splinter the news. The atmosphere in the Lair changed from despair to hope as they waited for their friends to arrive. Once Casey and April came down, they all organized a plan to get into the Foot Headquarters and rescue Leo. Raph was just itching to get into the fight and wanted to take the Foot down. There was no way he was going to let Karai and the Foot get away with anything. From what Don had gathered, Karai was away in Japan having a memorial for her father. This would give them an ample opportunity to get into Foot Headquarters without her interference. Raph was a bit disappointed she wouldn't be there, but he figured that sooner or later she'd be back. And when she did come back, he was going to deal with her and punish her for what she did to Leo.

When the time was right, the Turtles, Splinter, and Casey headed out to Foot Headquarters to begin their operation. April guided them in, and they made their way through the tower, hoping to find where Leo was. At first, it seemed like nothing could get in their way, but then Foot Ninjas caught wind of their intrusion and immediately engaged them in battle. Raph let out a yell and got right into the fight. He was enjoying it immensely and looked for an opportunity to try and interrogate a Foot Ninja to see where Leo was. However, it never came as more and more Ninjas kept coming for them. Although they were able to escape them eventually (using their chi as Mikey had suggested), Raph knew they weren't out of the woods yet. He found another door and kicked it in, scouting the area to see where they were. The sight that met his eyes was something that would be ingrained in his memory for a long time.

Leo was chained to a wall, a group of Foot Ninjas blocking him. Apparently, they had anticipated that the Turtles would come and were ready to prevent them from apprehending their brother. Leo wasn't conscious, and Raph feared that he was dead. But for now, he couldn't dwell on that. He had to get Leo out of there. He led the charge as they fought the rest of the Foot Ninjas to free their brother. Raph found an opening and managed to make his way to where Leo was.

"Hang in there, bro," Raph whispered. "We're here to get you out." Then he used his sais to try and free his brother. It took some work, but he managed to somehow release him. He caught Leo before he could hit the floor and turned to his brothers to indicate that he'd succeeded in freeing their brother. Don used some smoke bombs he had invented that would give them a better chance to escape. As they made their way to the Battle Shell, Raph just held on to Leo as though he'd never let him go. His brothers helped lay Leo down on the makeshift stretcher Don had put into the Battle Shell, and Don checked his vitals. He reported that Leo still had a pulse but that he was badly wounded and in need of care.

When they arrived at the Lair, they carried Leo to the infirmary where Don immediately patched up as many of Leo's wounds as he could. Then they arranged who would watch Leo throughout the night.

"I want first watch," Raph offered.

"No, Raphael, I will take first watch," Splinter insisted. "You must rest."

"Okay, then I get second watch," Raph declared. Everyone agreed with that, and they arranged that Mikey would have the next watch and then Don would have the last watch. April and Casey went home, and Don promised to alert them if Leo's condition changed. After Splinter took a seat in the chair that was placed beside Leo's bed, the other Turtles decided to get some sleep. Splinter told Raph that he would wake him in two hours. Raph nodded and immediately went to sleep, ready to wake up when Splinter told him to.

When it was Raph's turn, he woke up and asked Splinter if there was any change in Leo's condition.

"No, he is still the same," Splinter replied.

Raph nodded and went down to the infirmary to take his own watch. He looked at Leo's still form and willed his brother to come back. How could this happen? Why was it that Leo was the one who always ended up getting hurt? Sure, the others suffered injuries once in a while, but it seemed like Leo got the brunt of them most of the time.

"C'mon, Leo, fight," he pleaded. "You can beat this. You're the tough one, remember? We can't go on without you, bro. You gotta get out of this and come back." He thought that maybe his words would will Leo to open his eyes, but nothing changed. Sighing, Raph continued to talk to his brother, to share stories of when they were younger and encouragement for Leo to come back. When his two hours were up, he went and woke Mikey for his own watch. After telling his younger brother that nothing had changed, he went back to his own bed to catch up on sleep until his next watch.

22222

Two days later, nothing had changed, and the Turtles were worried that Leo would never wake up. Everyone was gathered in the infirmary to try and see if maybe being together would encourage Leo to wake up. He was still breathing, but Raph was afraid that he would suddenly stop breathing and just die right there.

"Is he awake yet?" Mikey asked.

"Not yet," Don replied sadly.

Raph was getting agitated. "Well, he better wake up, soon," he growled. "You hear me, asswipe? You better snap out of it."

Just as Raph finished speaking, Leo moaned and opened his eyes. They were all startled and hurried over to him. But something in Leo's eyes wasn't right. He was looking at them as though he didn't know who they were. He began demanding where his brothers were, and they kept telling him they were with him. Splinter, recognizing that Leo didn't know them, began to calm Leo down and told him to close his eyes and concentrate. Leo did so and finally realized where he was and who he was with. He revealed that Karai had told him they were dead and that she was going to kill him soon, too. Raph couldn't' believe the nerve of her and vowed that when he saw her again, he was going to make her pay.

Once Leo had calmed down, Raph and Don left to go visit April and Casey to let them know what was going on. Raph felt so much better now that Leo had recovered. He saw Casey watching television, a beer in his hand.

"Hey, Raph, what brings you here?" Casey asked.

"Leo's awake," Raph replied. "I came to just spread the news, I guess."

Casey's eyes lit up. "Hey, that's awesome!" he exclaimed. "So, he's gonna be okay?"

"Don thinks he'll pull through now that he's awake," Raph answered. "It was a pretty close call though."

"I'll bet," Casey said. "You want a beer?"

Raph nodded. "Sure, I can have one," he said. He didn't plan on getting drunk since he figured Leo would still need him in case anything went wrong. Casey tossed him a beer, and he popped the tab and drank some. The two friends spent some time together watching a hockey game and placing bets on who would win. Casey won the bet, which meant that Raph would have to buy the beer the next time they got together.

"It was nice seein' you again, Raph," Casey said. "I'll drop by tomorrow and visit Leo."

"Yeah, he'll like that," Raph said. "See you tomorrow, bone head." Then he left Casey's apartment and headed back to the Lair. Splinter was waiting for him and smiled when he saw Raph come in. Raph returned the smile and checked on Leo before going to bed. His brother was sleeping peacefully, and Raph was relieved that Leo was okay. He went to bed himself, promising to stay at Leo's side as long as he could to help him get better. And once Leo was better, they would get revenge on Karai and the Foot to let them know that they had messed with the wrong family.

A/N: Whoo Hoo! Another chapter is done. I'm so happy that I'm finishing this story quicker than I thought I would. There are only three more chapters left before the story is finished, and I'm so excited. Feel free to leave a review after you've finished reading. Have a shelltastic day.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Father's Intuition

A/N: Chapter twelve is here! I'm just so happy that I'm able to continue this story. I want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed so far. Your kind words have been so wonderful and have fueled me to finish this story. This will be Splinter's perspective on things. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

Splinter exited his room and settled into the worn recliner Donatello had found at a junkyard. He could hear his oldest son, Leonardo, as he gathered his brothers to go on patrol. It was one of the many routines the family had and one that the brothers took pride in. Sometimes Splinter had misgivings about his sons going into the city, but he knew that they wanted to protect the citizens of New York and stop any harm from coming to them. The Rat was glad his sons were trying to do good deeds, but he still feared for their safety. They had many enemies who still wanted to vanquish them. Splinter's worst fear was that one or all of his sons wouldn't come home from one of their patrols.

Soon, all of the Turtles were gathered together, ready to head out. Splinter smiled at his sons, proud that he had raised four great warriors.

"We're ready to go on patrol, Master Splinter," Leonardo said. "We may be late, but you don't have to wait up for us."

"It is no problem for me to wait up for you, my son," Splinter replied. "It is my duty as a father to make sure my sons get home safely."

"Okay, Sensei," Leo said. "We'll see you later."

"Be safe, my sons," Splinter said as he always did before his sons left their home. He often hoped his words would help them be safe in whatever they did.

"We will, Master Splinter," Leo promised him.

"Don't sweat it, Master," Michelangelo chimed in. "We'll stay out of trouble."

Splinter gave his youngest son a bit of a skeptical look. Of all of them, Michelangelo was the one most prone to getting into trouble. As his sons left, Splinter suddenly felt a funny feeling in his stomach that he couldn't quite place. Instinct told him to call out to his sons to come back, but he knew that they would think that his protective feelings were getting in his way. He shook his head and turned on the television, hoping to distract himself with some of his favorite shows. But even as he watched, the feeling continued to intrude into his thoughts as though it wanted to make its presence known.

Sighing, Splinter turned off the television and tried to read a book, but he couldn't concentrate due to that persistent feeling. He thought about going out and looking for his sons, but he knew that it would be foolish to do so, especially if his sons were perfectly fine.

The sound of the Lair door opening a few hours later caught his attention, and he looked up, waiting to see all four sons come through the door. His heart sank when he saw only Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo. Where was Leonardo?

"My sons, what has happened?" he asked, fear filling his voice.

"We got ambushed by the Foot," Raph answered. "They took Leo."

Now, Splinter knew what that feeling was all about. If only he could have warned his sons sooner. Maybe this wouldn't have happened.

"I kept tellin' Donnie we need to get him back," Raph continued. "But he said that we can't do it without a plan."

"He is correct, Raphael," Splinter replied. "Your brother would do the same thing if it were any of you. It is too bad Mr. Jones and Ms. O'Neil are not here. We could really use their help."

"I'll call April tomorrow and tell her what's going on," Don told him. "Maybe Raph could get a hold of Casey and let him know, too."

"I'll try, but I doubt he'll be able to come," said Raph pessimistically.

"Maybe we could use the Justice Force as spies," Mikey suggested and began to talk about what they could do. Raph scoffed at the idea, but Don thought it was good and urged Mikey to do so. Even Splinter felt it would be a good idea and praised his youngest for thinking about it.

"My sons, I suggest that you get some rest so you can prepare for tomorrow," Splinter urged them.

The Turtles bowed to him and left for their rooms. Splinter put his book down and went into the kitchen to tidy up a bit and to give himself something to do. Thoughts of Leonardo kept running through his head. Was he still alive? Had the Foot decided to just capture him and offer him up as bait for the rest of them? If that was true, Splinter wasn't sure how long they would spare him. He remembered Leonardo's insistence that Karai was not her father and that she had good in her. As much as Splinter wanted to believe his son, he couldn't help but feel that Karai was exactly like her father and shared his ideas.

After the kitchen was cleaned up, Splinter went to each of his sons' rooms to talk to them about how they were feeling. As he spoke to them, he truly hoped that they would find the strength to carry on and rescue their brother. After he exited Raphael's room, he went to Leonardo's room and looked at it for a moment. Of all of his sons, Leonardo was the tidiest and often took care to make sure his room was clean. The Rat feared that this room would always stay empty if Leonardo was dead. He tried to shake the thought from his mind, but it continued to stay there.

He entered his own chambers and settled in a lotus position. He closed his eyes and focused on his son's mind, hoping to find some evidence that he was okay. Ah, there it was! He could sense his son's aura, but it was very weak. He could sense that Leonardo was in pain and did not want to communicate with his father. Splinter decided to leave him alone, but this little sign gave him hope that his son would be able to be rescued soon. He sent a silent message to his son that said, "Hold on, Leonardo. Your brothers are coming." He took out a picture of all four of his sons taken at the farmhouse last year, and kissed Leonardo's picture. He only hoped that his son would come home to them.

22222

The next day, Don and Raph talked to Casey and April, but they weren't able to come home yet. Splinter could feel his sons' spirits start to sink as they thought about what this could mean. He didn't want them to give up, but even he could feel the despair pulling at him like a lead weight about to drag him down. He tried to fight it for his sons' sake, but he didn't know how long he could keep it up.

"We must not give up hope, my sons," Splinter encouraged them. "Leonardo is still alive. I felt his aura and feel that he will hang on as long as he can. He will not allow the Foot to break him."

His sons could hear his words, but they didn't respond. It was almost as though they had given up already. Splinter continued to try and encourage his sons and offer words of comfort, but there was nothing else he could do. He meditated whenever he could, but soon Leo's aura started fading from his mind as though his oldest son had succumbed to whatever the Foot had done to him. It made Splinter uneasy to think that Leo would do that and that he could possibly be dead. He didn't want to have to bury his child just as he had to bury his Master.

22222

Two months passed, and there was still no sign of Leonardo. His sons were doing everything in their power to try and find him, but nothing was working. Splinter could tell that the efforts his sons were making were taking a toll on them, and his heart ached for them. They shouldn't have to go through this, he thought. If only there was a way we could help Leonardo.

But just when all hope seemed lost, Donatello received a call from April, stating that she was home and was ready to help. This news cheered his son up, and he had Mikey go up and tell Raph the news. Splinter began to feel better as well as things were finally looking up for them. Raph and Mikey came downstairs and reported that Casey was also home and was ready to help. Once again, his son's spirits were raised by this news, and Splinter was overjoyed. Finally, they were going to bring Leonardo home. Splinter only hoped that he would be alive.

April and Casey arrived and apologized for not coming sooner. The Turtles forgave them and began to plan for the rescue mission. Splinter insisted on coming because he was so worried for his son. They wanted Casey to stay with April, but April reassured them that she'd be fine on her own and that she knew what to do in case any Foot Ninjas entered the Lair. Once the plan was in place, they all headed out to rescue Leonardo and bring him home.

Getting into Foot Headquarters was easier than they thought thanks to Don's and April's skills. At first, it seemed like it would be easy to get Leonardo out of there, but soon Foot Ninjas began to appear as they were alerted to the intruders' presence. Splinter joined in the fray and fought viciously for his son. These enemies were not going to harm him, and Splinter was going to make sure of that. His walking stick was a deadly weapon as he used it to knock back more and more foes. But for each group of foes that he eliminated, more took their place. They were never going to get out of this at the rate that they were going. Then Mikey suggested that the Turtles use their chi to see if that would help. Luckily, the move worked, and the Turtles were able to dispatch of their opponents more quickly than they had before.

Raph spotted another door and kicked it in. As they made their way through, Splinter gasped at the sight that met his eyes. Leonardo was chained to the wall, a group of Foot Ninjas surrounding him. Splinter and his sons leapt into action dispatching of their enemies. As they fought, Splinter saw Raphael trying to free his brother. After a few attempts, he managed to do so, and the Turtles, Splinter, and Casey made their escape via smoke bombs that Don had invented. They hurried toward the Battle Shell and immediately drove away. Splinter laid his paw on Leonardo's forehead, wondering if his son knew that they were with him. Donatello reported that Leo was alive but badly wounded and needed care immediately.

When they arrived at the Lair, they took Leo to the infirmary where Don patched up Leo's wounds as best he could. Then they discussed about keeping watch over him, and Raph insisted he be allowed the first watch. However, Splinter vetoed that, saying that he wished to do the first watch. Raph accepted that and took the second watch. Mikey took the third watch, and Don took the last one. Then his sons left while Splinter sat in the chair by his son's bedside to keep his vigil.

He gazed lovingly at his oldest son and once again put a paw on Leonardo's forehead. He began to rub his son's head, just as he used to do whenever he would get sick. "I know you can hear me, my son," he said gently. "Your brothers are worried for you and wish for you to come back. You are a strong warrior, Leonardo. Do not let what the Foot did to you keep you from returning to us. We need you here, my son. Be strong, and fight against whatever fear is preventing you from being here with us. I believe in you, my son. Please come home. Do not give up." He willed for his words to reach Leonardo and for his son to give a sign that he had heard his father's words. But Leonardo remained still and didn't respond to his father's touch or words. When his watch was finished, Splinter summoned Raphael and quickly went to his own chambers to try and get some rest. He just couldn't believe that Leonardo would give up like that. He knew his son was strong.

22222

As the days passed, Leonardo's condition remained the same. They began to fear he would never wake up, but they always tried to banish that thought as though it were an omen. They were all gathered in the infirmary together, hoping that their presence would give Leonardo the strength to return to them.

"Is he awake yet?" Mikey asked.

"Not yet," Don replied.

"Well, he better wake up soon," Raph growled. "You hear me, asswipe? You better wake up soon."

Splinter was shocked at Raphael's use of language and was about to reprimand him when Leonardo moaned and opened his eyes. Splinter was shocked and relieved, but when he looked into his son's eyes, he could tell that something was wrong with him. Leo began talking as though he was still imprisoned and demanded to know where his brothers were. Splinter knew something was terribly wrong and walked over to his son.

"Leonardo, calm down," the sensei urged. "You are not with the Foot. You are home now. Close your eyes and focus on my voice. You are safe, my son. Focus."

Leo did so and opened his eyes. He was still a bit confused as he looked at them. He couldn't believe that he was alive and revealed that Karai had lied and said that they were all dead. Rage filled Splinter at his son's words and at what Leonardo had had to go through. But now his son was home, and he was relieved.

"I will make some tea for you, my son," Splinter said.

Mikey decided to stay with Leo while Raph and Don went to tell April and Casey the news that Leo had woken up. Splinter went into the kitchen and made his son's tea. He could hear Mikey chattering on about his video game and smiled. It was just like Mikey to distract Leo from any thoughts that he had about what he'd been through. When the tea was done, Splinter poured it into a mug and gave it to his oldest son. Leo smiled and thanked his father, and Splinter smiled back. He was so happy to see his son home and safe. Yes, he was wounded, but those wounds would heal in time. The main thing was that Leonardo was alive and well, which was what Splinter had hoped for. His son had fought to come back and had succeeded just as he had once before. He had a strong spirit and a determination to stick by his family. The Rat knew that one day Leonardo would be a great warrior and would take Splinter's place when the time came for Splinter to depart the world.

But now, the main objective was for Leonardo to heal from his physical and mental wounds. Once that was accomplished, they would concentrate on revenge against the Foot for what they had done to their family. This feud couldn't go on any longer, and Splinter was determined that as long as he was alive, he would fight for his sons. No one would take them down as long as he was there to prevent it. They would prevail because they were a family.

A/N: Yeah, I know the chapter's a bit shorter than the other ones, but Splinter wasn't in the main battle. I really hope I did okay on this chapter. I know it may seem a bit rushed, but I really wanted to get it out as soon as I could. Feel free to leave a review, and have a shelltastic day. Another chapter down and two more to go.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Tortured

A/N: And now, here's the chapter you all have been waiting for. It's time for Leo's chapter where you'll see what happened to him while he was gone. I want to thank everyone for the kind reviews you have given me thus far. Your kind words and encouragement have been greatly appreciated. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

Leonardo was ready for patrol like always. He had been practicing some katas when he looked at the clock and saw that it was time for their nightly patrol. He gathered his brothers together one by one. Mikey had been reading a comic, Don had been in his lab like usual, and Raph had been in his room working out. Once they were all gathered together, they got ready to head out. Splinter wished them luck as he always did and told them he would be waiting up for them.

"You don't have to wait up for us, Sensei," Leo replied.

But Splinter insisted on waiting up, saying that it was his duty as a parent to make sure that his sons were home safely. Leo knew better than to argue and let the subject drop.

Once the Turtles were topside, Leo put on his Leader Face, as the others called it, and gave directions. "Okay, this is just a routine patrol," he said. "We're scouting the area to make sure there are no enemies. If you see anything, do not engage unless attacked. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, we got it, Leo," Raph grumbled.

"Hey, I say we make this more fun by playing a game of Ninja Tag," Mikey suggested.

Leo wasn't very happy about the idea. The whole object was to do just scout the area and that was it. But it was just like Mikey to turn things into a game. It was a habit he had a hard time breaking. "We don't' have time for that," he insisted. "We're just doing a basic patrol."

Then Mikey gave his famous puppy dog eyes, trying to entice Leo to go with the plan. Leo tried to resist, but no one could ever resist the puppy dog eyes no matter how many times they tried. The blue-clad Turtle finally gave in.

"All right, we'll have one quick game," he said. "But remember that we're still on patrol, so try and scout the area anyway."

Mikey gave his brother a smile. "Okay, bro, you're it!" he called as he tagged his brother on the shoulder. Then he sprinted away, laughing at his antics.

Leo gave chase, causing the others to sprint away and split up. Leo decided to chase after Raph first since it was so much fun to do. He and Raph always competed with each other, and this was a good way to beat his brother at a game. Raph took the bait and continued running.

"Let's see if you can catch me, asswipe!" the red-clad Turtle teased.

Leo smiled, knowing that Raph was just being good-natured. Despite their apparent rivalry at times, the two brothers were really close and cared deeply for one another. Leo hurried to catch his brother and thought about what would happen once he did. He saw Raph stop abruptly when they reached the corner of Fifth and Main. Leo was ready to tag his brother, but he saw where his brother's gaze had shifted. He spotted a group of Foot Ninjas on the roof across from them.

"That can't be good," he muttered. Were these Ninjas lying in wait for them, or had they just stumbled upon the Turtles by accident?

The Foot Ninjas wasted no words and began to attack. Leo unsheathed his katanas and began to defend himself. He saw that Raph had his sais out and was also engaging the enemy. But as more and more kept coming, Leo knew that he and Raph couldn't take them on their own and would need backup.

"Raph, call Don and Mikey!" Leo ordered. "We need them now!"

Raph nodded and dug out his Shell Cell to make the call. Leo didn't pay much attention as he was too busy trying to fend off as many Ninjas as possible. He was starting to feel tense as memories of another encounter with the Foot started to plague him. But that had been different than this instance. This time he had his brothers, and he focused on that in order to keep on going. He could hear Raph, Don, and Mikey engaging the enemy as well. They were going to win and prevail. He could feel it.

But suddenly, something pierced Leo's shoulder. He hissed in pain and turned to see a dart sticking out of it. He pulled it out and continued to fight, but he began to feel the effects of whatever was in the dart. His katanas fell from his hands, and he toppled forward, trying to catch himself but failing. He fought to stay conscious and tried to cry out for his brothers. The last thing he heard was Raph crying his name as the darkness claimed him.

22222

Leonardo moaned and opened his eyes. At first, his vision was blurry, but he blinked a few times, and the room swam into focus. He was in some sort of cell with brick walls. He tried to move his hands, but they were chained to the wall as were his feet. One thing was for sure: the Foot had captured him somehow. But what about his brothers? Were they here, too? Or, had they been able to escape unharmed?

The door to the cell opened, and Karai came in dressed in her Shredder armor. She smiled as she saw him look at her. "I am glad to see you are awake, Leonardo," she said. "I have been waiting for this day."

"Karai!" Leo snarled. "Where are my brothers? What have you done with them?"

Karai took off her helmet and smiled evilly. "I have disposed of them," she replied. "After my guards took you, the other soldiers killed them instantly."

Leo wasn't sure how to take this. She had fooled him before into thinking his family was dead, and they had turned out to be unharmed. "I don't believe you," he hissed.

"I had a feeling you would say that," she replied. "That is why I took the liberty of bringing proof." She signaled to one of her soldiers to come forward. The Ninja held out his hands to reveal three colored masks. Leo looked at them and recognized them as his brothers'. He gasped as he gazed at them. It couldn't be!

"Now do you believe me?" Karai simpered.

Leo's eyes went from shock to anger. He would grieve for his brothers in private. If he did it now, that would show her that he was weak, and that was something he was determined she wouldn't see. "I swear to you, Karai, I will make you pay for this," he vowed.

Karai laughed. "You are in no place to be making threats to me, Leonardo," she responded. "You are my prisoner and are therefore going to do as I say. Now, your Master does not know of your brothers' deaths yet. I figured I would wait until I killed you before letting him know. But then, that would be too easy. You have a choice to make, Leonardo. You can swear allegiance to me and the Foot Clan, and I will spare you and your father. If you refuse me, then I will have your father hunted down and killed. The choice is yours."

Leo couldn't help but laugh. "Do you really think I would join your Clan?" he asked sarcastically. "I'd rather die than join you. And as for your threat about Master Splinter, you don't even know where our Lair is, so how can you hunt him down?"

"That is where you come in," Karai said. "Since you will not join me, perhaps you can tell me where your Lair is? I promise, I will make your father's death quick and painless. He will not suffer."

"Never," Leo declared. There was no way he was going to give in to her. He would never betray his family no matter what.

"Very well," Karai replied. "If you will not willingly tell me where it is, I will have to force it out of you. One way or another, you WILL tell me where your Lair is. I will make sure of that." She signaled to one of her soldiers to step forward. "Begin the punishment," she ordered.

Before Leo could ask what she had in mind, the Foot Ninja pressed a taser to his body. The electricity surged through his body, causing him to cry out in pain. It lasted for a few minutes before Karai told the soldier to stop. Leo glared at her hatefully. If this was what she was trying to do, it wasn't going to work. He still wouldn't cave in.

"Are you going to tell us, Turtle?" she hissed.

Leo spat in her face and thought about how proud Raph would be. She wiped the saliva from her face and gritted her teeth at him.

"Fine, then have it your way," she said. She motioned for the soldier to come forward again, and again Leo felt the pain from the electricity. He tried to block it out with thoughts of his brothers and father. They would want him to fight and not give in. He was a ninja and a great warrior. He wasn't going to let Karai think she'd beaten him at her game. Each time the taser was lifted from him, she asked if he was going to give in, and each time he refused. The pain kept coming in bursts, but Leo didn't care. He'd endure it if it meant keeping Master Splinter safe. He wasn't going to let Karai kill his father, too.

"That will be enough for now," Karai decided. "I am going to give you a bit of a break to think about what has just transpired. You had better have an answer when I come back, or you will receive more punishment." She turned on her heel and left, the solider following behind her.

Leo relished the silence now that Karai was gone. He knew that he was trapped here, but he didn't care. He wasn't going to let her win at any cost. Tears filled his eyes at the thought of his brothers. Even if they had died, at least they had died in battle. That was some sort of comfort, but it didn't soften the blow that they weren't going to rescue him. But at least Splinter was still alive. Maybe Master Splinter would think of a plan along with April and Casey. Maybe they could get him out of here. He knew Splinter would stop at nothing to find them if he had the chance. This thought made Leo feel a little better.

He closed his eyes and began to meditate. He could feel his father's presence, but he was too weak to really reach out and communicate with him. Still, feeling his father's aura was more than enough to convince Leo that Splinter was still there. He even sent a message to him that his brothers were coming and to hold on. Leo didn't have the strength to communicate to Splinter just then, or he would've sent him a message about what Karai had said. He eased out of his meditative state and tried to get some sleep. He knew that he would need it for the days to come.

22222

As days passed, things didn't get easier for Leo. He was still continuously tortured by Karai and the Foot. They even went so far as to use him as a training dummy for the Foot Ninjas in the dojo. His arms and feet were chained up, and he hung there while the Foot Ninjas kicked, punched, and hit him with their weapons. They glorified in hurting him, and Karai seemed pleased as well. Leo endured it all even though he would've liked nothing more than to fight them on his own. But he didn't even have his weapons anymore. Karai had probably destroyed them along with his other possessions. Each time the Ninjas hit him, he just took the pain and reminded himself that he was doing this for his brothers and Master. He pictured his brothers giving him encouragement to keep on fighting, and it fueled his resolve.

After practice was over, they hauled him back to his cell and chained him again. He didn't fight back because he didn't even have the strength to do so. He decided that the next time they did this, he'd try and escape. They were giving him food and water so that he'd live, but they figured he'd still die in here. He would save his strength and try and escape once they attempted to use him for a practice dummy again.

Karai smirked at him. "I know you think you're being noble enduring all of this torture, but we will break you yet," she told him. She turned to her soldiers. "I want you to cut off the food and water. Perhaps as he grows weaker, he will succumb and tell us what we need to know."

After she left, Leo thought about his options. His escape plan didn't work now because he would eventually grow too weak to even fight. Now what? He didn't want to die by her hands, but he wasn't going to give her what she wanted. He wasn't going to betray his father. If that meant that he died, so be it. Splinter would be saddened but proud that his son died like a true warrior. Blood dripped on the floor from his wounds, and his body throbbed from the bruises he'd received. However, no one came to tend to his wounds or make sure that he was okay. Then again, that didn't surprise him at all. Once again, he began to meditate but couldn't reach his father anymore. That worried him a little. Had the Foot searched for the Lair and killed him? No, that couldn't be right because he would've heard about it. Maybe Splinter was looking for a way to rescue him. Yes, that had to be it.

22222

Leo grew weaker and weaker as the days went on, but he continued to try and remain as stoic as possible. He wasn't going to let Karai know he'd been bested. But as his strength gave out on him, he began drifting off for longer and longer periods. Soon, he was afraid he would die of starvation and tried his best to ignore the pangs of hunger that kept plaguing him. His mouth was dry form thirst, and his throat burned with the need for water, but he didn't complain. He knew that if he did, it would only show weakness.

He was used for a practice dummy day after day, and kept on going despite the countless hours of pain and abuse. One day, he was knocked unconscious and was simply brought to his cell without anyone checking whether he had sustained damage. Even after he was knocked out, the Foot kept on hitting him as if to prove a point that he was not going to win as long as they were around. The blue-clad Turtle didn't feel the blows and had no idea what was going on.

22222

Leo could hear voices that were familiar to him, but he didn't know if he should wake up. At the sound of Raph's gruff voice, he moaned and opened his eyes. But as he looked around him, his brothers weren't there. It was the Foot. Were they playing tricks on him? He grew angry and demanded to know where his brothers were. He didn't want to believe they were dead.

"We're right here, Leo," Don answered.

"No, you're trying to trick me," he insisted. "You won't beat me."

"Leonardo, calm down, my son," Splinter soothed. "Focus on my voice, my son. You can fight this. Just close your eyes and focus on my voice."

Leo closed his eyes and focused on his father's voice. It was soothing and gave him hope. Maybe Splinter had rescued him after all. When he opened his eyes again, he saw not only Splinter there, but his brothers as well.

"Am I dead?" he asked.

"No, you're alive, bro," Raph replied. "We rescued you and brought you home."

"That can't be," he whispered. "Karai told me you were dead. She said the Foot killed you after they took me."

"Karai said that?" Raph asked incredulously. "Why would she do that?"

"To try and break Leo," Don replied. "She figured if Leo thought we were dead, he would be devastated and do anything she told him to. That's how conniving she really is. Look, Leo, now that you're awake and I've patched you up, I'm going to tell April you're awake. I won't stay long, and I'll check on you once I get back, okay?"

Leo nodded. Raph had decided to visit Casey and tell him the news as well. Mikey decided to stay with Leo and keep him company. He went to his room, probably to fetch some comics to keep him occupied while Leo slept, and Splinter went to make some tea. Leo was very thirsty and needed something to help his throat, which was a bit sore.

When Mikey came back, he had his newest comic with him as well as Klunk. "Hey, Leo, someone wanted to see you," he said. He released Klunk from his arms, and the cat gently leaped up on Leo's bed. The blue-clad Turtle smiled and began stroking Klunk's fur, causing the cat to being purring. Then Mikey began chattering about his latest video game and how he'd beaten it. Leo reveled in his brother's chatter and Klunk's purrs. Both were like a soothing lullaby and very comforting.

"Um, Leo, am I boring you?" Mikey asked, mistaking Leo's look of contentment for boredom.

Leo shook his head. "No, Mikey, I'm not bored," he replied. "It's great to hear your voice. You can keep on talking. I don't mind."

So Mikey continued to talk while Leo sipped the tea Master Splinter had brought him. He was feeling better already knowing that he was safely at home and that his brothers were alive. He still carried a lot of mental and physical wounds, but he knew that with his family by his side, he would be able to overcome anything. And once he became fully healed, he vowed to seek revenge on Karai for all that she had put him through. She wouldn't get away with what she'd done to him. He had given her too many chances, and now it was time for her to see what happened when she messed with Leo and his family.

A/N: And so, Leo's chapter has come to an end. I'm so happy I finished it. There's only one chapter left to go, and then this story will be completed. I'm so excited that I'm nearing the end of this story. I never thought I'd complete it, but I'm almost done. Feel free to leave a review after you've finished reading. Have a shelltastic day.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Final Showdown

A/N: And now, here's the final chapter of A Warrior's Pain 3. It's been a long road, but I've finally gotten to the end, and I'm so proud of myself. There was a long instance of writer's block, but I motivated myself to continue, and I did. I also want to thank those who have taken the time to read and review the whole story. I'm so grateful for your support and kind words concerning it. Thank you for sticking with me and not giving up. I really hope you enjoy this final chapter.

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

Leonardo sat in deep meditation, trying to concentrate and process everything that had been said. He felt much better after telling his story and even hearing his family's side of things. He felt guilty for all they had to go through to get him out of there, but he also felt proud of them for sticking together and doing what they had to do. They had proven that they could work as a team even with one member missing. Even when Karai had told him they were dead, he hadn't wanted to believe her. Some part of him had denied her story and had declared that his brothers were going to rescue him soon. But as time passed, he began to doubt that voice even more and started to believe the story Karai had concocted. It had sent him into a wave of despair until he remembered that at least his father was still alive. He knew that he had to keep going because of this and because he wanted to protect Splinter at all costs.

His thoughts were interrupted when a voice asked, "Leo, are you okay?" He turned to see Raphael framed in the doorway, a look of concern on his face.

"I'm fine, Raph," he reassured his brother. "I was just clearing my head."

"Did it work?"

Leo nodded. "Yeah, it did," he responded. "Raph, I never got to tell you guys this, but I'm really proud of the way you handled yourselves when you were trying to rescue me. You worked as a team to get me out, and I just wanted to thank you for that. I hate to think of what would've happened if you hadn't gotten me out."

"Hey, you don't have to thank us, bro," Raph told him. "You know we would've gotten you out no matter what." But then he remembered what Karai had told Leo about them. "Did you really believe Karai's story?"

"Not at first," Leo answered. "Even when she showed me those masks, I just didn't want to believe it. But as time passed, I really began to believe that maybe it was true. But even if it had been, I still had to fight for Master Splinter. I wasn't going to give up on him and expose him to the Foot. That's one of the things that kept me going. I even thought about you guys and heard you giving me words of encouragement. I knew that even if you were dead, you would still want me to fight and beat the Foot."

Raph was silent as he processed what his brother had just said. It must have been horrible for him having to endure all of that torture and thinking that they were dead. "Well, you did what I probably would've done, bro," he said. "You fought the whole way through and didn't give Karai an inch. You really are a great ninja, Leo. I know I never say that often, but I mean it. You were born for this lifestyle."

"Thanks, Raph," Leo said. "So were you. I even think you'd make a great leader if you really wanted to be one. You stepped up to the plate and got me out of there."

"Yeah, but Don was the one who stopped me from bein' rash," Raph corrected him. "If it hadn't been for him, I would've gone in there and gotten into trouble. He's the one who really stepped up, Leo, and he deserves the title if you're not around to lead."

"That's true, but I don't think Don would want that," Leo replied. "He was under a lot of pressure, and I don't think he could handle that all of the time. But you're right he did do a good job of keeping you in check. I never thought he had it in him." He smiled at those last words.

"Yeah, I thought he was gonna knock me out with his bo if I didn't stay put," Raph chuckled. "Either that, or put drugs in my cereal."

Leo laughed along with him. "Donnie can be sneaky when he wants to be," he said. "But I'm proud of all of you. I'm in your debt."

Raph waved his hand as if fending off Leo's words. "You don't owe us anythin', Leo," he told him. "Just having you here with us is enough."

"Well, okay," Leo said. "Where are the others?"

"Sensei and the Ancient One are in the living room watchin' some stories," Raph replied. "Mikey's outside, and I think Don's in his room. Are you comin' out?"

Leo nodded and got to his feet. "Yeah, I'm coming," he said. Then he followed Raph out of the room. They were about to go outside when Mikey came running in, a panicked look on his face.

"Guys, I really hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we've got some unwanted guests outside," he said.

Leo tensed. "What do you mean, Mikey?" he demanded.

"Well, I was just walking around, taking in the sights, when I saw some Foot Ninjas," Mikey replied. "I just thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but they're really out there and coming this way."

"Aw, crud," Raph grumbled. "Why is it we can't even take a single vacation without someone tryin' to kill us?"

Leo immediately sprang into action. "Mikey, get Donnie, Master Splinter, and the Ancient One," he ordered. "Meet us here so we can come up with a plan." He was worried about what would happen now. How had the Foot found them?

"Leonardo, what is wrong?" Splinter asked, suddenly appearing before Mikey could leave and summon him. The Ancient One and Don were at his side.

"Mikey spotted some Foot Ninjas," Leo replied. "They must have discovered where we were, but I don't know how that could be. I've got an idea though, so follow my lead." He hurried outside with the others following him. He wasn't sure if his plan was going to work, but he knew he had no other option at this point.

Sure enough, a group of Foot Ninjas surrounded them, led by Karai. Her green eyes flashed with malice as soon as she saw Leo there with his family.

"And so we meet again, Leonardo," she said. "You were able to escape me with the help of your accursed family, but this time you have no escape. This time, you and your family will die at my hands."

Leo growled. "No, Karai," he replied. "You will not harm my family. If you want a shot at me, then you can have it. It's me you want, not them. I say we finish this once and for all." He smiled as he dropped his bombshell on her. "But your ninjas aren't allowed to attack my family while we are fighting. This is just between you and me. If you beat me, then the Foot may do what they wish and finish off the rest of us. But if I win, you will be finished, and the Foot will no longer be allowed to hunt for us. They are to call a truce and end this war. Do you understand?"

Karai smirked at him. "Yes, that is understood," she said. "I do not know why you are so sure of yourself, Leonardo. Even with your brothers by your side, I was still able to capture you and torture you. What makes you think you will survive this fight?"

Leo drew himself up and looked at her, his brown eyes boring into her green ones. "Because as long as I have my family by my side, I cannot lose," he answered. "They give me the strength to carry on. Even when I was imprisoned by you and your ninjas, my family still gave me that strength. And even when you lied to me and told me they were dead, I knew that they still wanted me to fight you and defeat you. I could hear their voices, urging me to continue to fight. That's what gave me the strength to endure what you did to me, and it's what will give me the strength and courage to defeat you once and for all. But before I fight you, I'd like to speak to my family if that is all right."

"Fine, you may speak with them," Karai replied. "But it will not change the outcome of the match." She stepped back to allow Leo the chance to talk to his family.

Leo turned to his loved ones. "Now, listen guys, this is between Karai and myself," he said. "Don't try and come between us no matter what. Even if it looks like I'm in trouble, I want you to stay here, you understand?" He looked at Raph as he said this.

"Yeah, Leo, we get it," Raph said. "But if you lose this fight, I'm the first one in there to take that bitch out."

Leo nodded. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Raph," he replied as he gave his red-clad brother a hug.

"Good luck, Leo," Don said as he hugged his older brother. "I know you can do it."

"Thanks, Don," Leo said. "And if I don't make it, just promise me to keep Raph in line. I know you can do it just like you did before."

Don nodded. "I promise, Leo," he said.

Mikey threw his arms around his older brother, tears spilling out of his eyes. "Leo, I love you, and I want you to know that you've always been the best older brother a Turtle could ask for," he said. "Go out there and kick her ass."

"I will, Mikey," Leo reassured him. "And I want you to promise that if anything happens to me, that you'll still try and be strong. Keep on being the shining light you've always been. Can you promise me that, Mikey?"

Mikey wiped the tears from his eyes and looked at his older brother with a new resolve. "I promise, Leo," he said.

"Good," Leo said, smiling at his little brother.

Splinter looked into his son's eyes and smiled. "Leonardo, I cannot tell you how proud I am of you," he said. "You have proven that you are a great warrior and a great leader to this team. No matter what may happen in this duel, know that I am proud of all that you have accomplished and that I love you with all of my heart. Use your skills to your advantage, and do not let her win. I know that you can do this, my son."

Leo bowed to his father. "Thank you, Master Splinter," he said. "I'll do my best not to let you down."

"Leonardo, I must say that you have proven yourself a great ninja," the Ancient One began. "Yoshi would be proud of you if he could see you today. Carry his spirit with you as you battle your foe. I have confidence that you will defeat the Foot and start a new beginning for this clan. Good luck, kumquat."

Leo bowed to his second sensei. "Thank you, Ancient One," he said. "I'll do my best."

"Are you done saying your farewells, Leonardo?" Karai taunted. "You know I do not have all day."

Leo turned and unsheathed his katanas. These were the same swords Raphael had helped him forge after the attack by Shredder's Foot Ninjas. He stood proudly and faced her. "Yeah, I'm done," he said. "Are you going to say farewell to your family? It's only fair after all."

Karai bared her teeth. "I do not need to say anything to them," she replied. "They know of my orders after I have finished you. Now, prepare to meet your doom."

Leo couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Don't try and intimidate me with your cliché villain lines," he replied. "You forget that I've grown up with Mikey and have heard every one in the book. Let's finish this feud once and for all, Karai."

"As you wish, Leonardo," she responded. Then she launched herself at Leo, and the battle began.

Leo had to admit that Karai was skilled, but he was able to block each of her attack and get in some of his own. She tried to swipe his shoulder with her sword, but he dodged her attack and parried it with one of his own. He could tell she was getting agitated as the battle progressed. She managed to get a few kicks in, but that was all. He could tell she was tiring, and that fueled his resolve. She tried to sneak in her kusarigama and tried to sweep his legs with it, but he dodged it skillfully. Then she managed to wrap the chain around his katanas and began to pull. Leo kept his weight evenly centered and gripped his swords tightly.

"Give up, Leonardo," Karai told him. "You cannot win."

"Never, Karai," Leo grunted and yanked his katanas forcefully, pulling the chain from her grip. With the chain still wrapped around his swords, he managed to catch her own sword in its grasp and disarmed her neatly. Then he did a sweep kick, knocking her to the ground and pinning her beneath his weight, his katanas poised at her neck.

Karai let out a gasp after realizing she had been defeated. Her green eyes met Leo's brown ones as he stared down at her. "Go ahead," she rasped. "Finish me. Then I will be with my father, and our feud may end."

Leo hesitated. Yes, he could kill Karai and finish the whole feud right there. He thought about what she had put him through for two months and the endless torture he had endured at her hands. Anger coursed through him at the thought of it, and the desire to kill came to him. But then he looked in her eyes and could see the plea within them. Killing her wouldn't erase all that she had done to him. As far as he was concerned, it was the easy way out, and she wouldn't have to live with what she had done.

"No, I won't kill you, Karai," he replied.

"What?" his family gasped.

"Leo, she nearly killed you!" Raph protested. "She needs to die!"

"If she dies, she won't have to suffer for the crimes she committed," Leo replied. "She won't have to live with what she's done to me and our family. So, instead of killing you, I suggest that you seek help from the Ancient One here in Japan. I know that there's a good person in there somewhere, Karai, and you need to let go of the anger that has consumed you for so long. The Ancient One can help you and give you a new lease on life. He did it for me, and I'm forever in his debt for it. Will you accept the help I am offering you?"

Karai hesitated for a moment, trying to process what Leo was telling her. But then her eyes filled with an understanding that had never been there before. "Yes, I accept your help, Leonardo," she responded. "I am truly sorry for all the pain that I have caused you in the past and in the present. I am willing to seek help and to absolve myself of this hatred. You are truly an honorable warrior, Leonardo. I always knew that deep down and often longed to be a friend to you. Perhaps once I have been cured, we can start anew."

"I would like that, Karai," Leo replied. He sheathed his swords and helped her to her feet, giving her the weapons that she'd carried. She accepted them and put them away, smiling at the blue-clad Turtle.

But the Foot Ninjas weren't happy about what had just transpired. One of the Elite Guards hissed, "Traitor! You dare to ally yourself with the filthy Turtles? You are not your father's daughter! You dishonor the name of the Shredder!"

Karai turned to face him. "No, I am not my father's daughter in some respects," she replied. "I am not as evil as he was, and I vow to end a feud that should not have happened in the first place. He began this feud, and I am going to end it. I refuse to be associated with the Foot Clan any longer. I know where my loyalties lie, and it is not with you."

"Then you will die for treason, Karai," the Elite snarled. He leapt at her, his weapon ready to strike her, but Leo pushed her out of the way and met his attack. The Elite's weapon sliced his plastron, but Leo countered his next attack and knocked him to the ground. The Elite got up, and Leo braced for another attack, but it didn't come.

"Very well," the Elite spat. "This is not the last that you have seen of us. Once you return, Karai, we will deal with you. And as for you, Turtles, this feud is far from over. Enjoy this reprieve while you can because we will strike again when you least expect it." He signaled to the Foot Ninjas, and they retreated.

Leo's family hurried to his side as he clutched the wound the Elite had given him. Don reported that the cut wasn't deep and that it would heal fairly quickly. He patched up the wound with expertise and sent Leo on his way again.

"Good job, Leo!" Mikey congratulated him. "You were awesome!"

"Yeah, you really kicked some ass out there, bro," Raph added, punching him playfully on the arm. "I'm proud of you, bro."

"You fought well, my son," Splinter praised him. "Well done."

"Yes, you did well, kumquat," the Ancient One chimed in. "Yoshi would have been proud of you."

"Way to take the fight to her, Leo," Don praised him. "No offense, Karai," he added hastily.

Karai smiled. "None taken," she said kindly. "You did fight well, Leonardo."

"Thank you, everyone," Leo responded.

"I suggest that we all get some rest," Splinter ordered. "It has been an eventful day for all of us."

Everyone nodded and retreated to their rooms to get some much needed sleep. The Ancient One showed Karai to her quarters and began to discuss how they were going to start the healing process. As Leo went to his room, he couldn't help but feel that he did the right thing. Karai was truly a good person, and he hoped that the Ancient One could help her see that. He was glad she had defected from the Foot and that she was going to start her own life without them. It was what he had hoped she would do all along, and now it was a reality. He was proud of what he had accomplished and hoped that there would be a new beginning for all of them.

22222

The next day, Karai got to know the Turtles in a way she never had before. She began to see them as more than just mutants and definitely more than just enemies. She laughed at Michelangelo's jokes, marveled at Donatello's intelligence, and smiled at Leonardo's sincerity and the kindness of Master Splinter and the Ancient One. Only Raphael seemed distant, and she could understand why. He still didn't trust her, and she knew it would take him some time to really see whether she was willing to change or not. She had tortured his brother, and she knew that he was still angry over that. She didn't pressure him to talk to her and gave him the space he deserved.

She was meditating in her room when Leonardo appeared in her doorway.

"Karai, I hate to disturb you, but we're leaving for New York now," he said.

Karai slipped out of her meditation and rose to join her friend. She followed him to the front of the Ancient One's compound where the others were waiting to head off on a ship bound for New York City. She smiled at all of them. "I want to thank all of you for giving me the opportunity to get to know you better," she said. "And, Leonardo, I am truly in your debt. You spared my life when you could have finished me off in that battle. You gave me yet another chance to redeem myself even though I did not deserve it after what I did to you. Thank you, my friend." She bowed to him.

"You're welcome, Karai," he answered. "I truly hope that you will heal and start a new life without the Foot Clan. Good luck."

"The same to you," she replied. "I wish you all a safe journey home. When the time comes for me to return, I will make sure that I visit you."

Mikey smiled. "Yeah, you would so love our movie night, Karai," he said. "It's always so much fun. Is it okay if she comes to those when she gets back, Master Splinter?"

Splinter smiled. "Yes, I believe that Karai would be most welcome in our home," he said. "You may come at any time when you wish to. Just let Leonardo know, and he will escort you there."

"Thank you, Master Splinter," Karai replied. "I will keep in contact with Leonardo as much as I can. Perhaps, in time, Donatello can make me one of those ingenious phones you use to contact one another."

Don smiled. "I'll get right on it, Karai," he reassured her. "And you can even help me out when I experiment on things. I'm sure you'd be a great help."

"I would be honored, Donatello," Karai responded. "Thank you."

The Hamato family gave one last wave to Karai and the Ancient One then headed to the harbor where their ship awaited them. All of them were happy that peace had been established though they all knew that the Foot wouldn't stop until they were dead. Even though Karai had defected from them, there would be a new leader to take her place and a new battle to establish power within New York. But whatever happened, the Hamato family would battle the Foot and end the war once and for all. Perhaps with Karai as their ally, they could really gain an advantage over their enemy and vanquish them once and for all.

22222

As the ship made its way to New York, Leonardo stared out the window, fascinated by the swell of the waves. He was thinking about the future and what it would hold for his family. His family was happier now that Karai had severed ties with the Foot, but Leo knew that Raph hadn't totally severed his grudge with her yet. He still didn't trust her, and though Leo wanted Raph to just let things go, he could understand why it was hard for him to do so. Raph was very protective of Leo and had become more so when Leo had been ambushed by the Foot. He would make sure no one hurt his brother and would stand in their way if they tried.

As if on cue, Raph came over to where Leo was standing. He was silent as he stared out the window alongside his brother.

"Go ahead, Raph, you can say it," Leo said. "I was an idiot for letting her go, wasn't I?"

Raph shook his head. "No, you weren't," he said. "It's not in you to kill out of revenge, Leo. You were right about what you said. If she was dead, she'd escape all that she'd done to us and to you. But since you spared her, she has to live with what she did to you and to all of us. You did the right thing, Leo. I still don't trust her, but I'm willin' to try with time. I just hope she doesn't blow the chance you gave her. If she does, you can bet I won't hesitate to kill her if she hurts you again."

Leo smiled at his brother's words. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Raph," he replied. "But I'm glad you're willing to give her a chance. She deserves that. I really think she has reformed and is willing to turn over a new leaf."

"I hope so, Leo," Raph said. "I really hope so."

The two continued to stare out the window in silence, thinking about all that had brought them to this point. Both were glad they were together and that they had survived yet another bump in the road. There would be many more bumps to come for them, but they knew that as long as they were together, nothing could stop them. They were a family and would stick together until the very end.

The End

A/N: And so, this story had finally come to an end. I'm so happy that I finally finished it. I'm sorry if the fight scenes weren't that good. I did the best I could with what I had in my head. I want to thank everyone who has read this story from the beginning. Even when I hit a huge wall of writer's block, you guys didn't give up on me and stuck with me once I began to write again. I also want to thank some of my new readers who had never read my work before. Your encouragement and kind words meant a lot to me. So, thank you for that. I appreciate it.

And before you guys think that this is the end of the series, it's not. I have one more story to write in this series, and I hope to have it up soon. I also have a series of one-shots set in my A Warrior's Pain series that gives insight to some moments you didn't really see within the series. I'm not sure when that one will be up, but I will try and have it up soon. So, feel free to leave a review after you've finished reading, and, as always, have a shelltastic day.


End file.
